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N° 6. John Dowland.

OHN DOWLAND, the famous lutenift, was born in 1562 *; and was admitted to his batchelor's degree in the univerfity of Oxford, along with Thomas Morley, 8th July 1588 +.

He is faid by Wood to have been one of the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal in the time of Queen Elifabeth and King James I. But this be doubted: for he does not afmay fume the title in any of his publications; on the contrary, he complains in the preface to one of them, the Pilgrim's Solace, that he never could attain to any though ever fo mean a place II.

He feems to have been of a rambling difpofition, and to have lived much abroad. Peacham, who appears to have been intimate with him, fays that he flipped many opportunities of advancing himself.

In 1594 he travelled through the chief parts of France. From thence he bent his courfe towards Germany, where he was kindly entertained by Henry Julio Duke of Brunfwick, and the learned Maurice Landgrave of Heffen, who is faid by Peacham to have been an excellent musician.There he became acquainted with Aleffandro Crologio, a musician of great eminence in the fervice of the Landgrave Maurice, and Gregorio Howet lutenist to the Duke of Brunfwick. Having fpent fome months in Germany, he paffed over the Alps into Italy, and faw Venice, Padua, Genoa, Ferrara, Florence, and divers other places. At Venice he became intimate with Giovanni Croce, who, as he relates, was at that time vicemafter of the chapel of St Mark. It does not appear that he vifited Rome;

but he enjoyed the proffered amity of Lucco Marenzio, and received from him fundry letters §.

In 1600, he appears to have been in Denmark, and to have been at that time lutenift to the King of Denmark,

He quitted the fervice of the King of Denmark before 1609, and was lutenift to Lord Walden in 1612.

He is faid to have died in

1615

His first publication was probably about the end of the 16th century, and was intitled, The First Book of Songs or Ayres of four parts, with tablature for the lute.'

In 1600, he published a fecond book of 'Songs or ayres for the lute or orpharian with the viol de Gamba.' To this book he has prefixed a dedication to the celebrated Lucy Countefs of Bedford, dated from Helfingnoure in Denmark, the ift of June 1605; and in this publication he calls himself lutenift to the King of Denmark.

In 1603, he published a third book of Songs or Ayres, to fing to the lute, orpharian, or violls' Some time after this, but in what year is not mentioned, he published a work with this title, Lachrimæ, or Seaven Teares, figured in feaven paffionate pavans, with divers other pavans, gulliards and allemands fet forth for the lute, viols, or violins, in five parts. This book is dedicated to Anne the wife of King James I. and fifter to Christian IV. King of Denmark.

Some of the common pfalm-tunes are alfo attributed to him.

harmony of three, four, and five parts, to be fung and plaid with lute and viols." In the title page of this, he ftyles himself lutenift to Lord

Walden.

Befides his mufical compofitions

SIR,

TH

ted

17

; and in

abovementioned, he published in 1609 a tranflation of the Micrologus of Andicas Ornithoparcus 1610, Neceffary Obfervations belonging to Lute Playing †,

HE Plate I herewith fend you is a view of the monument erecupon the fide of the Solway Frith to the memory of Edward I. of England; who, exafperated to a great degree against the Scots, had taken the refolution of laying wafte their whole kingdom from fea to fea, Scarcely, however, had he with his army reached Carlisle, when he was feized with a diftemper which put an end to his days and all his projects. When he found that death was approaching, he fent for his fon, and ftrongly recommended to him to profecute vigorously the war with Scotland, till he had entirely fubdued that country; for which purpose he was to carry along with him his bones at the head of the army, not doubting but that object would damp the courage of the enemy. After giving these orders to his fon, he defired that he might be carried by easy journeys into Scotland, wishing to die in a country he had thrice con

quered. He advanced as far as Burgh upon the fands, which is upon the very edge of the Solway Frith; where his fickness being increafed by a dysentery, he died on the 7th July 1307, in the 68th year of his age, having reigned 34 years 7 months and 20 days. The fpot where the pillar is erected feems to have been at the entrance of his tent, there being a fmall circular ditch ftill visible, and feveral large ftones at the foot of the monument, which by the inscription appears to have been erected in the 1685. The pillar is about 28 feet high. The view herewith given is from the weft. On the fouth fide is the following infcription: Nobiliffimus Princeps Henricus Howard, Dux Norfolcie, Comes MarShale Anglie, Comes Arundel, &c. ab Edwardo imo. Rege Anglie 0riundus. P. 1685.

On the north,
Johannes Aglionby I. C. F. F.
Thomas Langfton fecit.
Yours, A. C.

ge.

Siddons appeared this feafon was that of Euphrafia in the Grecian Daughter. Of this tragedy the neral opinion feems to be, that the ftyle is by far too turgid, and speaks rather the language of declamation than the language of the heart. Whatever juftice there may be in this criticifm, and there is undoubtedly a

C

Fafti, 1588

great

great deal, or whatever may be the fentiments of the public with regard to the play, there is but one fentiment with regard to the merits of the actress, and that is a fentiment of unbounded admiration. Euphrafia, as difplayed by Mrs Siddons, infpires the audience with the nobleft feelings of fublimity, and excites a fentiment of enthusiasm, which nothing but her magic powers could roufe. Every attitude is noble, every look expreffive, every motion is dignified, every word comes home to the heart of the fpectator; while the combined effect of thefe different excellencies is irrefiflible beyond the power of expreffion. In the Euphrafia of Mrs Siddons, the admirer of ancient times beholds realifed that refiftlefs eloquence which wielded at will the fierce democratic ;-beholds it realised to a degree which he had never before reached even in imagination. He no longer wonders at the effects of that eloquence, which even he could hardly conceive, although attefted by all antiquity. For what affembly of men could refift the arguments of Demofthenes, pronounced by the mouth of Mrs Siddons. This character, too, excited more frequent and louder burfts of applaufe than any other in which Mrs. Siddons has appeared. The reafon is obvious. Feelings of fublimity are vehement in this expreffion; the mind is wound up to its highest pitch, and announces its emotions by an irrefiftible impulfe. Grief, on the contrary, loves to indulge itfelf in filence, and it requires an effort to fupprefs that indulgence, and recal the mind to that ftate, in which it may mark, by external figns of applause, its gratitude to the perfon who communicates thefe feelings. As, therefore, in the reprefentation of elevated characters, it would argue an utter infenfibility to refrain from loud and reiterated acclamations; fo in the reprefentation of diftrefs

and wretchednefs, it argues a mind too much at eafe, too little affected, too infenfible, to be always prepared for mingling in the roar of applause, which is deftined by nature, in this cafe, to rife in proportion as the sentiment of diftrefs fubfides, and to be loudeft then, when the calm feeling of melancholy fucceeds the poignant fentiment of grief. This is not to be understood without exceptions; but the general rule is incontrover tible, and has been fanctioned by every audience which the powers of Mrs Siddons has collected in Edinburgh. Of this her Euphrafia and her matchlefs Zara are proofs on the one hand; as are her Lady Randolph, her Ifabella, and many befides, on the other.

Of Lady Macbeth, the next in order of the performances of Mrs Siddons this season, the character was moft adınirably fupported indeed. Her figure, when the first appeared upon the ftage, and before the had uttered a word, conveyed to the minds of the audience a complete idea of her character. The haughty, ambitious, afpiring woman, ftood before us, and we could read in her face every subsequent action of her life. Her manner of reading the letter could not escape the dulleft obferver. Her affected politenefs to the king, her diffembled complaifance, the manner in which the infpired her husband with a refolution to perpetrate the murder, difplayed the most profound difcernment, and a wonder ful extent of powers. The character of Macbeth himself, which, notwithstanding his crimes, interefts us in a very high degree from that mixture of intrepidity, heroifm, and even generofity, that is blended with it, appeared ftill more excufable, when we confidered what folicitations were ufed to urge him to the deed, and the manner in which they were used. For what ambitious mind could refift the perfuafions of fuch a Lady Mac

beth