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Chapter 7
Supporting Procurement with SAP
Chapter Objectives/Study Questions
Q1. What are the fundamentals of a Procurement process?
Q2. How did the Procurement process at CBI work before SAP?
Q3. What were the problems with the Procurement process before SAP?
Q4. How does CBI implement SAP?
Q5. How does the Procurement process work at CBI after SAP?
Q6. How can SAP improve supply chain processes at CBI?
Q7. How does the use of SAP change CBI?
Q8. What new IS will affect the Procurement process in 2024?
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List of Key Terms
• 3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing, objects are manufactured
through the deposition of successive layers of material.
• Augmented reality – computer data or graphics overlaid onto the physical
environment.
• Bottleneck – event that occurs when a limited resource greatly reduces the output of
an integrated series of activities or processes.
• Bullwhip effect – occurs when companies order more supplies than are needed due to
a sudden change in demand.
• Buy-in – selling a product or system for less than its true price.
• Finished goods inventory – completed products awaiting delivery to customers.
• Internal control – control that systematically limits the actions and behaviors of
employees, processes, and systems within the organization to safeguard assets and to
achieve objectives.
• Invoice – an itemized bill sent by the supplier.
• Lead time – the time required for a supplier to deliver an order.
• Procurement – the process of obtaining goods and services such as raw materials,
machine spare parts, and cafeteria series. It is an operational process executed
hundreds or thousands of times a day in a large organization. The three main
procurement activities are Order, Receive, and Pay.
• Purchase order – a written document requesting delivery of a specified quantity of
product or service in return for payment.
• Purchase requisition (PR) – an internal company document that issues a request for
a purchase.
• Radio-frequency identification (RFID) – chips that broadcast data to receivers to
display and record data that can be used to identify and track items in the supply
chain.
• Raw materials inventory – stores components like bicycle tires and other goods
procured from suppliers.
• Returns Management process – manages returns of a business’ faulty products.
• Roll up – the accounting process to compile and summarize the accounting
transactions into balance sheets and income statements.
• Supplier evaluation process – process to determine the criteria for supplier selection
that adds or removes suppliers from the list of approved suppliers.
• Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) process – process that automates,
simplifies, and accelerates a variety of supply chain processes. It helps companies
reduce procurement costs, build collaborative supplier relationships, better manage
supplier options, and improve time to market.
• Supply chain management (SCM) – the design, planning, execution, and integration
of all supply chain processes. It uses a collection of tools, techniques, and
management activities to help businesses develop integrated supply chains that
support organizational strategy.
• Three-way match – the data on the invoice must match the purchase order and the
goods receipt.
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MIS InClass 7
1. Describe the order pattern from the customers to the retailer every week.
The order pattern from the customers to the retailer was random from week to week.
One week demand would be six bikes, and 12 the next. The following week demand
would be for only two bikes. Sometimes the demand would trend upward, steadily
increasing over a period of weeks. At other times, demand would slowly fall over a
period of time.
2. Why did the ordering pattern between the suppliers in the supply chain evolve
the way it did?
Initially, the ordering pattern between the stations was very erratic. A bullwhip effect
was created. As the game moved forward, product was able to work its way through
the supply chain, so orders were able to be met. This created a pattern of over-
ordering, which led to generally excessive inventory. As the randomness of the orders
was realized, the orders through the supply chain moved up and down as well.
3. What are the objectives and measures for each team’s procurement process?
The objectives for each station are to have less inventory and less backorders. To
measure this, stations use the total cost. The total cost is 0.5 (inventory) +1
(backorders).
4. Where is the IS? What would more data allow? What data are most needed?
There is not an IS present in the game. More data would allow materials planning
within the supply chain. Customer demand is most needed. It takes a long time to get
the customer data through the different stations. If the factory had a more direct view
of customer demand, the backorder and inventory problems would not be as
exaggerated downstream.
5. If you spent money on an IS, would it improve an activity, data flow, control,
automation, or procedure?
It would improve the linkage between the retailer and each of the stations in the
supply chain. Without an IS, each station can only know what the demand is one
station away, and there is an inherent lag. This lag can be reduced when every station
understands what the customer demand actually is.
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6. Create a BPMN diagram of your team’s weekly procurement process.
Procurement Process for Wholesaler
Purchasing Manager Warehouse Manager Fulfillment Manager
Phase
Receive Incoming
Orders and Advance
the order delay
Fill the Order
Place Order
Receive Inventory
and advance the
shipping delay
Record Back Log
Start
Enough
inventory to
fulfill
Yes
No
Check Inventory
Inventory
Update Inventory
Enough
Inventory
No
End
Yes
Update Inventory
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Using Your Knowledge
7-1. Two supply chain processes introduced in this chapter are Returns
Management and Supplier Evaluation.
a. Create a BPMN diagram of each of these processes.
Returns Managment
Retailer Factory Supplier
Phase
Start
End
Product Received by
Retailer
Product Returned to
Factory
Correct Supplier
Charged for Defect
Replacement
Product issued to
Customer
Product Received by
Factory
Product Examined
for Defect
Supplier Charged
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Supplier Evaluation
Approved Supplier List
Purchasing Manager
Phase
Approved
Supplier DB
Start
End
Suppliers are
nominated
Information
Gathered
Supplier
Approved
Update List
Yes
b. Specify efficiency and effectiveness objectives for each process and identify
measures appropriate for CBI.
Potential efficiency objective examples for:
Returns Management: Fewer product returns.
Supplier Evaluation: Time to approve suppliers.
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Potential effectiveness objective examples for:
Returns Management: Quality Controls.
Supplier Evaluation: Sufficient number of approved suppliers.
Potential efficiency measures for:
Returns Management: Percentage of quality control tests passed and inspecting
parts prior to assembly.
Supplier Evaluation: Inventory turnover.
Potential effectiveness measures for:
Returns Management: Decrease in Product Returns account.
Supplier Evaluation: Decrease in the number of suppliers removed from the list
of approved suppliers.
c. What new information system technologies could be used by CBI to
improve these processes, as specified by your measures in part b? Can AR,
RFID, or 3D printing be used to improve these processes?
Yes, RFID could be used to track batches of parts that fail a quality control
inspection, allowing CBI to find the parts before they are used to assemble other
products. Augmented Reality could be used when inspecting a returned product.
The parts in the product could be linked directly to the supplier, allowing CBI to
quickly charge the supplier for the defect to reduce its own Returns allowance
and increase its accounts receivable.
7-2. Which of the four nonroutine cognitive skills identified in Chapter 1 (i.e.,
abstract reasoning, systems thinking, collaboration, and experimentation) did
you use to answer the previous question?
Based on the example answer for question 1, the nonroutine cognitive skill of
systems thinking was used to determine what available technologies could be used
by CBI to help improve its processes and how the technologies could be leveraged
to help each other. Abstract reasoning was also utilized to determine in which step
of the process the technology could be used.
7-3. Which of the four skills in Exercise 7-2 would be most important for Wally’s
replacement?
Wally’s replacement will need to possess systems thinking in order to connect all of
the inputs and outputs produced by CBI into one big system. The three remaining
non-routine skills will also be important for Wally’s replacement. Technology
moves quickly and to remain an effective manager, Wally’s replacement will need
to move quickly as well. Over the course of ten or twenty years, the processes will
also change, creating more opportunities for CBI to improve and become an even
better business.
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7-4. The Procurement process in this chapter is an inbound logistics operational
process. Name two other operational processes at CBI. Describe two inbound
logistics managerial processes and two strategic processes.
Examples of two other operational processes are Accounts Payable and Conducting
Sales. Examples of inbound logistics managerial processes include materials
requirement planning and production assembly employee scheduling. Examples of
strategic processes include budget planning and determining future warehouse
space requirements.
7-5. If a warehouse worker opens a box and the contents are broken, those items
will be returned to the supplier. Add this activity to the BPMN diagram of the
Procurement process (Figure 7-14).
Updated BPMN for Figure 7-12
Purchasing Manager
Warehouse
Manager
SAP Application Accountant
Phase
Start
Update DB
Create Purchase
Requisition
Create Purchase
Order
Receive Goods
Receive Invoice
Yes
Consistent 3
Way Match
Pay Supplier
Yes
End
Retrieve Three-Way
Match Data
Update DB
SAP DB
No
Product in
Acceptable
Condition
Return Product to
Supplier
No
7-6. For the Procurement process after SAP implementation, what are the triggers
for each activity to start? For example, what action (trigger) initiates the
Create PO activity?
To start, the raw material inventory for a given product must drop below a
predetermined level. This will cause a purchase requisition to be created. Once a PR
is created, the purchasing manager must approve it in order to create a purchase
order. Once a PO is created and the materials are delivered, a goods receipt is
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created. Once the goods are added to the inventory, the goods receipt creates an
entry in accounts payable. Once CBI receives the invoice for the PO, the receive
invoice process is triggered. This allows the Pay supplier activity to begin. Before
the post outgoing payment activity can be completed, the data from the PO, goods
receipt, and invoice must all be correct (the three-way match).
7-7. What kinds of errors can Wally, Maria, and Ann make that are not captured
by SAP? One example is that Wally might count 20 bottles and 30 cages but
mistakenly enter 20 cages and 30 bottles. Describe a particularly harmful
mistake that each can make and how the process could be changed to prevent
that error.
Wally could accidentally miss clicking OK for one of the products in the Goods
Receipt Screen. Maria could select the wrong supplier for a particular material. Ann
could select the wrong supplier to which to issue a payment. A particularly harmful
mistake that Wally could make is to forget to create a good receipt altogether. To
improve this process, augmented reality and RFID tags could be used to identify
materials that have been shipped by the supplier but have yet to be entered into
inventory at CBI. Maria could mistype a part number to be ordered. To prevent this,
a check could be run to confirm that the part number ordered is below the minimum
stock on hand. Ann could pay the wrong vendor. To prevent this, checks could be
used to ensure that the vendor being paid has an unpaid invoice with CBI and that
the amount of payment is less than or equal to the amount of the accounts payable
for that particular vendor.
7-8. How does a pizza shop’s Procurement process differ from CBI’s? What do you
believe is the corporate strategy of your favorite pizza franchise? What are the
objectives and measures of its Procurement process to support this strategy?
A pizza shop’s procurement process would need to be more efficient than CBI’s.
Pizza shops carry perishable items on their inventory, which means inventory must
be turned over quickly. Pizza shops also generally have narrow margins. This
means that there is not as much room to carry excess inventory like CBI might be
able to. Papa John’s, with over 3,500 locations, aims to provide better pizzas by
using better ingredients. This can be particularly difficult due to the need for fresh
vegetables. Because of this, the chain has local suppliers for each location. To
support the strategy, Papa John’s should have relatively small amounts of raw
materials on hand to make sure that the ingredients are fresh. This can be measured
by the inventory turnover for each ingredient. Another measure is the response time
by suppliers to provide the fresh ingredients. This can be measured by the order
fulfillment time.
7-9. 3D printing has many benefits for businesses. Suggest three products that CBI
might print instead of procure with traditional means and three that your
university might print.
Suggested answers for CBI:
• Any plastic parts for its bicycles, ranging from wheel reflector shells to handle-
bar plugs and from tire filler caps to water bottles and helmet shells.
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• Promotional materials such as key chains, custom signage for store display, etc.
• With the right technology and printer cartridges, metal parts may be part of the
process in the future. There are currently experiments with titanium printing that
would allow the printing of high-end gears, derailleurs, etc.
Suggested answers for a university:
• Athletic equipment (think football, hockey, etc.).
• Keys, most universities spend significant funds on key manufacture and control.
• Soft and hard goods with the university seal/logo for sale in the bookstore and at
events.
Students will certainly have a plethora of suggestions.
Which procurement objectives does 3D printing support?
Procurement is primarily associated with inbound logistics. It is the process by
which goods are ordered, received, stored, disseminated within the organization,
and paid for. 3D printing affects ordering (to some extent), receipt, storage, and
dissemination (depending upon where printing occurs relative to the ultimate user’s
location).
7-10. Augmented reality will help employees find items in a warehouse, but this IS
may also support many other processes. Name two and describe how AR will
improve them. Use Google Glass as one example of using AR, and use another
example of AR for your other process.
AR could assist with navigation though a large facility to locate an individual or
functional location. AR could also be used to help a person during a presentation by
presenting context sensitive information viewable only by the presenter regardless
of the presenter’s proximity to a computer (think Google Glass). In a more
traditional sense, AR could present 3D images of complex designs to assist in
product repair, virtual design interaction, etc. If AR is tied to GPS, which is
certainly a reality, your smartphone can present an AR view of your current
location to give you information about your surroundings, or possibly suggest
possibilities for a sales call close to you, for example.
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Collaboration Exercise 7
1. Figure 7-8 lists problems with the Procurement process at CBI. Which of these
would apply to the university? Which would not? What are some procurement
problems that might be unique to an athletics department?
In the Accounting role, three-way match discrepancies and the lack of real time
accounting data would apply at university. Purchasing agents could be spread across
many departments and colleges. Internal controls could also be weak in the
Purchasing role. The problems with finished goods inventory and raw materials
inventory would not apply to the university. The athletics department, on the other
hand, may face issues with procurement due to the need for a very specialized piece
of athletic equipment that is only offered by a limited number of suppliers. An
athletics department might also face issues with increased procurement costs because
of low order volumes. It might be difficult to obtain economies of scale when there
are only 25 hockey players who need hockey skates ordered for the season.
2. Figure 7-12 lists objectives and measures that the managers at CBI determined
for the Procurement process. What objectives and measures would you suggest
for the university? What objectives and measures would you expect the athletics
director to suggest (do not use the objectives and measures from Chapter 6)?
For the university, an objective should be to reduce inventory. Another objective
could be to reduce costs. Measures for these objectives would be decreasing
inventory costs from 25% of sales to 15% and to reduce product costs by 5%. The
athletics department should use objectives like reduce cost and increase the volume of
cross-selling. Measures could include reducing product costs by 10% and increasing
cross-selling revenues by 25%.
3. Figure 7-28 lists the impacts of SAP on an organization. Which of these impacts
would affect the athletics department?
Of the four items listed, new skills needed and process focus would affect the
athletics department. The department will need to train employees to be proficient
with the supply chain management system, and to utilize employees’ abstract
reasoning and analytical skills. The athletics department will also need to focus on
processes. The inputs and outputs into the system will provide more data for the
department’s customers and suppliers.
4. Chapter 1 explained four nonroutine cognitive skills: abstract reasoning, systems
thinking, collaboration, and experimentation. Explain how implementing the
new Procurement process at CBI will require each of these skills from the
members of the SAP implementation team.
Abstract reasoning is needed to create and manipulate the models for CBI’s
processes. Ultimately, the process used by the employees and the process that the
SAP software is designed to aid must be the same. It may require the human
processes and computer processes to be tweaked in order to work together. Systems
thinking will be needed in order to fully realize the benefits provided by SAP. The
ERP system creates many inputs and outputs which can be used by the company to
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increase the efficiency of it processes and to increase its operating margins. It is up to
the employees to realize how the data can be used. Collaboration is essential for a
successful implementation. Employees from different areas of the company will need
to work together toward a common goal for the investment in the system to be
worthwhile. Experimentation is needed to pursue potential solutions to problems in
the processes and to foster learning opportunities. Not every experiment will be
successful; the opportunity comes in learning something from a failed experiment
other than the knowledge that what was tried did not work.
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Active Case 7: SAP PROCUREMENT TUTORIAL
7-11. Describe your first impressions of SAP.
SAP can seem very large and daunting at first glance. Users may have feelings of
confusion and even intimidation. Many textboxes create many opportunities for
user error. However, while SAP may seem a little overwhelming, the system has
many controls in place. Some of these controls include data validation (selecting
vendors or products from a pre-populated list), and auto-completed fields, which
prevent user inputs from being incorrectly entered.|
7-12. What types of skills are necessary to use this system?
In order to use the SAP system, the user needs to possess analytical skills. The
system produces many data points. SAP relies on the efficiency of underlying
processes in order for businesses to gain the full benefit. The processes are designed
and executed by those that use the system.
7-13. Create a screen capture of an SAP screen. Underneath the image, provide an
answer to each of the following questions:
The Post Outgoing Payments screen is used as an example.
a. In which of the activities does this screen occur?
The screen occurs in the Post Payment activity.
b. What is the name of this screen?
This screen is called the Post Outgoing Payments Header screen.
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c. What is the name of the screen that precedes it? What screen comes after
it?
The screen that precedes the Post Payment Header screen is the Outgoing
Payment screen. The screen that follows the Post Payment Header screen is the
Post Outgoing Payments process open items screen.
d. What actor accomplishes this activity?
The actor that accomplishes this activity is Ann from accounting.
e. Describe an error that this actor may do on this screen that SAP will
prevent.
Without SAP, Ann could enter the wrong amount for payment. While SAP does
not outright prevent this action, it does provide a check figure in the “Not
assigned” box. If the value for the not assigned box is not zero, Ann will know
that there is an error.
7-14. Make an informal diagram of the four main actors: Supplier (Composite
Bikes), Purchasing (Maria), Warehouse (Wally), and Accounting (Ann). Draw
arrows that show the data that flows among the actors during this process.
Number the arrows and include on each arrow what data are included in the
message.
Case 7 Question 4
Supplier Purchasing Warehouse Accounting
Phase
Start
1. Purchase Requisition Request
Receive Purchase
Request
Create Purchase
Order
Fill Purchase Order
Create Goods
Receipt
Issue Payment
2. Required Material
3. PO information
4. Product
5. Invoicing Information
Send Invoice 6. Invoice
Receive Payment
Create Account
Payable
7. Receipt Confirmation
8. AP Information
9. Payment Data
End
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7-15. Using the same four main actors as in question 7-14, this time show with the
arrows how the material (the water bottles and cages) moves.
Case 7 Question 5
Supplier Purchasing Warehouse Accounting
Phase
Receive PO / Ship
Order
Receive Order /
Create Goods
Receipt
Start
End
1. Order Contents
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7-16. One concern of a business is fraud. One fraud technique is to create suppliers
who are not suppliers but are co-conspirators. The conspirator inside the
business accepts invoices for nonexistent deliveries. For this fraud scheme to
work, who at CBI has to take part? How can SAP processes decrease the
chance of this type of fraud?
For this scheme to be used, Wally, Maria, and Ann would all need to take part.
Maria would play a central role as the purchasing manager because she would
create both the fictitious vendor and the fraudulent purchase orders. Wally would
also play a role in the warehouse by creating the goods receipt document. By
creating the document, Wally would open up an account payable as well. In
accounting, Ann would be CBI’s last line of defense. Ann would post the payment
to the fictitious vendor, completing the fraud.
SAP processes can decrease this type of fraud by splitting the various processes up
between functional departments and actors within those departments. Access can be
restricted so that no single individual could complete each step necessary for the
fraud. By requiring more actors to take part, the likelihood of a coworker noticing
something is amiss increases. Another measure that can be taken is to utilize an
approved supplier list. This would allow purchase orders to only be placed to
vendors who meet certain requirements. One possible requirement is to undergo a
site visit by members of CBI’s management.
7-17. Select any of the main activities or subactivities in the Procurement process.
The activity used in this example is Create Purchase Order.
a. What event triggers this activity?
The activity is triggered by the purchasing manager approving a purchase
requisition. The purchase requisition may have been automatically generated by
the stock levels of a particular product dropping below a predetermined point.
The purchase requisition may have also been created for a product that CBI
does not normally stock, but needs for a special order or even a new product
line.
b. What activity follows this activity?
Following the Create Purchase Order activity is the Create Goods Receipt
activity.
c. For one data entry item for this activity, describe what would happen in the
rest of the process if that entry was erroneous.
One potential error would be ordering the wrong quantity of an item. This error
can cause problems if not enough are ordered, creating a stock-out, or if too
many are ordered, creating excess inventory. When the warehouse manager
goes to create the goods receipt, the items will be added to the inventory. Once
Ann receives the invoice for the order, a payment will be posted and CBI will
not have the product quantity it needs.
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d. For one data entry item for this activity, describe what limits (controls) you
would put in place on the data to prevent the type of error described in
item c.
To prevent an error like the one described above, CBI could implement a
reasonableness check for the create purchase order activity. For example, a
maximum order quantity of 25 could be set for a common component like a
popular road bike frame. On the other hand, the maximum order quantity might
only be five for a less popular specialty product like a cyclocross bike frame. In
the case of the road bike frame, this control would prevent 52 frames from being
ordered. In the case of the cyclocross bike, the smaller maximum order quantity
could prevent CBI from having a large quantity on-hand going into the off-peak
season.
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
with a slow movement, as the Baroness had played a piece of
execution.
“For this purpose, she chose your favourite bit of Echard; and I
never heard her play it better, if so well. Merlin’s new pedals made it
exquisite; and the expression, feeling, and taste with which she
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“Mr. Harris inquired eagerly the name of the composer. Every body
seemed to be struck, nay enchanted: and charmed into such silence
of attention, that if a pin had dropt, it would have caused a universal
start.
“I should be ashamed not to give you a more noble metaphor, or
simile, or comparison, than a pin; only I know how cheap you hold
all attempts at fine writing; and that you will like my poor simple pin,
just as well as if I had stunned you with a cannon ball.
“Miss Louisa Harris then consented to vary the entertainment by
singing. She was accompanied by Mr. Harris, whose soul seems all
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“Then followed what my father called the great gun of the evening,
Müthel’s duet for two harpsichords; which my father thinks the
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“Mr. Burney and the Hettina now came off with flying colours indeed;
nothing could exceed the general approbation. Mr. Harris was in an
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Lady Lake, more prone to be pleased, was delighted to rapture; the
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under evident and real affright.
“There was then a good deal of chat, very gay and pleasing; after
which the company went away, in all appearance, uncommonly
gratified: and we who remained at home, were, in all reality, the
same.
“But how we wished for our dear Mr. Crisp! Do pray, now, leave your
gout to itself, and come to our next music meeting. Or if it needs
must cling to you, and come also, who knows but that music, which
has
“‘Charms to sooth the savage breast,
To soften rocks, and bend a knotted oak—’
may have charms also, To soften Gout, and Unbend Knotted
Fingers?”
Previously to any further perusal of these juvenile narrations, it is
necessary to premise, that there were, at this period, three of the
most excelling singers that ever exerted rival powers at the same
epoch, who equally and earnestly sought the acquaintance and
suffrage of Dr. Burney; namely,
Miss Cecilia Davies, detta l’Inglesina,
La Signora Agujari, detta la Bastardella,
And the far-famed Signora Gabrielli.
CECILIA DAVIES, DETTA L’INGLESINA.
Miss Cecilia Davies, during a musical career, unfortunately as brief as
it was splendid, had, at her own desire, been made known to Dr.
Burney in a manner as peculiar as it was honourable, for it was
through the medium of Dr. Johnson; a medium which ensured her
the best services of Dr. Burney, and the esteem of all his family.
Her fame and talents are proclaimed in the History of Music, where it
is said, “Miss Davies had the honour of being the first English
woman who performed the female parts in several great theatres in
Italy; to which extraordinary distinction succeeded that of her
becoming the first woman at the great opera theatre of London.”
And in this course of rare celebrity, her unimpeachable conduct, her
pleasing manners, and her engaging modesty of speech and
deportment, fixed as much respect on her person and character, as
her singularly youthful success had fastened upon her professional
abilities.
But, unfortunately, no particulars can be given of any private
performance of this our indigenous brilliant ornament at the house
of Dr. Burney; for though she was there welcomed, and was even
eager to oblige him, the rigour of her opera articles prohibited her
from singing even a note, at that time, to any private party.[4]
The next abstract, therefore, refers to
AGUJARI, DETTA LA BASTARDELLA.
“To Samuel Crisp, Esq.
“My dear Mr. Crisp,
“My father says I must write you every thing of every sort about
Agujari, that you may get ready, well or ill, to come and hear her. So
pray make haste, and never mind such common obstacles as health
or sickness upon such an occasion.
“La Signora Agujari has been nick-named, my father says, in Italy,
from some misfortune attendant upon her birth—but of which she,
at least, is innocent—La Bastardella. She is now come over to
England, in the prime of her life and her fame, upon an engagement
with the proprietors of the Pantheon, to sing two songs at their
concert, at one hundred pounds a night! My father’s tour in Italy has
made his name and his historical design so well known there in the
musical world, that she immediately desired his acquaintance on her
arrival in London; and Dr. Maty, one of her protectors in this country,
was deputed to bring them together; which he did, in St. Martin’s-
Street, last week.
“Dr. Maty is pleasing, intelligent, and well bred; though formal,
precise, and a rather affected little man. But he stands very high,
they say, in the classes of literature and learning; and, moreover, of
character and worthiness.
He handed the Signora, with much pompous ceremony, into the
drawing-room, where—trumpets not being at hand—he introduced
her to my father with a fine flourish of compliments, as a
phenomenon now first letting herself down to grace this pigmy
island.
This style of lofty grandeur seemed perfectly accordant with the
style and fancy of the Signora; whose air and deportment
announced deliberate dignity, and a design to strike all beholders
with awe, as well as admiration.
She is a handsome woman, of middle stature, and seems to be
about twenty-four or twenty-five years of age; with a very good and
healthy complexion, becomingly and not absurdly rouged; a well-
shaped nose, a well-cut mouth, and very prominent, rolling,
expressive, and dyingly languishing eyes.
She was attended by Signor Colla, her maestro, and, as some assert,
her husband; but, undoubtedly, her obsequious and inseparable
companion. He is tall, thin, almost fiery when conversing; and
tolerably well furnished with gesture and grimace; id est, made up of
nothing else.
The talk was all in French or Italian, and almost all between the two
Doctors, Burney and Maty; we rest, being only auditors, except
when something striking was said upon music, or upon some
musician; and then the hot thin Italian, who is probably a
Neapolitan, jumped up, and started forth into an abrupt rhapsody,
with such agitation of voice and manner, that every limb seemed at
work almost as nimbly as his tongue.
But la Signora Agujari sat always in placid, majestic silence, when
she was not personally addressed.
Signor Colla expressed the most unbounded veneration for il Signor
Dottore Borni; whose learned character, he said, in Italy, had left him
there a name that had made it an honour to be introduced to un si
célebre homme. My father retorted the compliment upon the
Agujari; lamenting that he had missed hearing her abroad, where
her talents, then, were but rising into renown.
Nevertheless, though he naturally concluded that this visit was
designed for granting him that gratification, he was somewhat
diffident how to demand it from one who, in England, never quavers
for less than fifty guineas an air. To pave, therefore, the way to his
request, he called upon Mr. Burney and the Hettina to open the
concert with a duet.
They readily complied; and the Agujari, now, relinquished a part of
her stately solemnity, to give way, though not without palpably
marvelling that it could be called for, to the pleasure that their
performance excited; for pleasure in music is a sensation that she
seems to think ought to be held in her own gift. And, indeed, for
vocal music, Gabrielli is, avowedly, the only exception to her
universal disdain.
As Mr. Burney and the Hettina, however, attempted not to invade her
excluding prerogative, they first escaped her supercilious contempt,
and next caught her astonished attention; which soon, to our no
small satisfaction, rose to open, lively, and even vociferous rapture.
In truth, I believe, she was really glad to be surprised out of her
fatiguing dumb grandeur.
This was a moment not to be lost, and my father hinted his wishes
to Dr. Maty; Dr. Maty hinted them to Signor Colla; but Signor Colla
did not take the hint of hinting them to La Bastardella. He shrugged,
and became all gesticulation, and answered that the Signora would
undoubtedly sing to the Signor Dottore Borni; but that, at this
moment, she had a slight sore throat; and her desire, when she
performed to il Signor Dottore Borni was, si possible, he added, to
surpass herself.
We were all horribly disappointed; but Signor Colla made what
amends he could, by assuring us that we had never yet known what
singing was! “car c’est une prodêge, Messieurs et Mesdames, que la
Signora Agujari.”
My father bowed his acquiescence; and then enquired whether she
had been at the opera?
“‘O no;’ Signor Colla answered; ‘she was too much afraid of that
complaint which all her countrymen who travelled to England had so
long lamented, and which the English call catch-cold, to venture to a
theatre.’
“Agujari then condescended to inquire whether il Signor Dottore had
heard the Gabrielli?
“‘Not yet,’ he replied; ‘he waited her coming to England. He had
missed her in Italy, from her having passed that year in Sicily.’
“‘Ah Diable!’ exclaimed the Bastardini, ‘mais c’est dommage!’
“This familiar ‘Diable!’ from such majestic loftiness, had a very droll
effect.
“‘Et vous, Signora, l’avez-vous entendue?’
“‘O que non!’ answered she, quite bluffly; ‘cela n’est pas possible!’
“And we were alarmed to observe that she looked highly affronted;
though we could not possibly conjecture why, till Signor Colla, in a
whisper, represented the error of the inquiry, by saying, that two first
singers could never meet.
“‘True!’ Dr. Maty cried; ‘two suns never light us at once.’
“The Signora, to whom this was repeated in Italian, presently
recovered her placid dignity by the blaze of these two suns; and,
before she went away, was in such perfect amity with il Signor
Dottore, that she voluntarily declared she would come again, when
her sore throat was over, and chanter comme il faut.”
CONCERT.—EXTRACT THE THIRD.
“My dear Mr. Crisp,
“My father, now, bids me write for him—which I do with joy and
pride, for now, now,thus instigated, thus authorised, let me present
to you the triumphant, the unique Agujari!
“O how we all wished for you when she broke forth in her vocal
glory! The great singers of olden times, whom I have heard you so
emphatically describe, seem to have all their talents revived in this
wonderful creature. I could compare her to nothing I have ever
heard, but only to what you have heard; your Carestini, Farinelli,
Senesino, alone are worthy to be ranked with the Bastardini.
“She came with the Signor Maestro Colla, very early, to tea.
“I cannot deign to mention our party,—but it was small and good:—
though by no means bright enough to be enumerated in the same
page with Agujari.
“She frightened us a little, at first, by complaining of a cold. How we
looked at one another! Mr. Burney was called upon to begin; which
he did with even more than his usual spirit; and then—without
waiting for a petition—which nobody, not even my dear father, had
yet gathered courage to make, Agujari, the Bastardella, arose,
voluntarily arose, to sing!
“We all rose too! we seemed all ear. There was no occasion for any
other part to our persons. Had a fan,—for I won’t again give you a
pin,—fallen, I suppose we should have taken it for at least a
thunder-clap. All was hushed and rapt attention.
“Signor Colla accompanied her. She began with what she called a
little minuet of his composition.
“Her cold was not affected, for her voice, at first, was not quite
clear; but she acquitted herself charmingly. And, little as she called
this minuet, it contained difficulties which I firmly believe no other
singer in the world could have executed.
“But her great talents, and our great astonishment, were reserved
for her second song, which was taken from Metastatio’s opera of
Didone, set by Colla, ‘Non hai ragione, ingrato!’
“As this was an aria parlante, she first, in a voice softly melodious,
read us the words, that we might comprehend what she had to
express.
“It is nobly set; nobly! ‘Bravo, il Signor Maestro!’ cried my father, two
or three times. She began with a fullness and power of voice that
amazed us beyond all our possible expectations. She then lowered it
to the most expressive softness—in short, my dear Mr. Crisp, she
was sublime! I can use no other word without degrading her.
“This, and a second great song from the same opera, Son Regina,
and Son Amante, she sang in a style to which my ears have hitherto
been strangers. She unites, to her surprising and incomparable
powers of execution, and luxuriant facility and compass of voice, an
expression still more delicate—and, I had almost said, equally feeling
with that of my darling Millico, who first opened my sensations to
the melting and boundless delights of vocal melody.[6] In fact, in
Millico, it was his own sensibility that excited that of his hearers; it
was so genuine, so touching! It seemed never to want any spur from
admiration, but always to owe its excellence to its own resistless
pathos.
“Yet, with all its vast compass, and these stupendous sonorous
sounds, the voice of Agujari has a mellowness, a sweetness, that are
quite vanquishing. One can hardly help falling at her feet while one
listens! Her shake, too, is so plump, so true, so open! and, to display
her various abilities to my father, she sang in twenty styles—if
twenty there may be; for nothing is beyond her reach. In songs of
execution, her divisions were so rapid, and so brilliant, they almost
made one dizzy from breathless admiration: her cantabiles were so
fine, so rich, so moving, that we could hardly keep the tears from
our eyes. Then she gave us some accompanied recitative, with a
nobleness of accent, that made every one of us stand erect out of
respect! Then, how fascinately she condescended to indulge us with
a rondeau! though she holds that simplicity of melody beneath her;
and therefore rose from it to chaunt some church music, of the
Pope’s Chapel, in a style so nobly simple, so grandly unadorned, that
it penetrated to the inmost sense. She is just what she will: she has
the highest taste, with an expression the most pathetic; and she
executes difficulties the most wild, the most varied, the most
incredible, with just as much ease and facility as I can say—my dear
Mr. Crisp!
“Now don’t you die to come and hear her? I hope you do. O, she is
indescribable!
“Assure yourself my father joins in all this, though perhaps, if he had
time to write for himself, he might do it more Lady Grace like,
‘soberly.’ I hope she will fill up at least half a volume of his history. I
wish he would call her, The Heroine of Music!
“We could not help regretting that her engagement was at the
Pantheon, as her evidently fine ideas of acting are thrown away at a
mere concert.
At this, she made faces of such scorn and derision against the
managers, for not putting her upon the stage, that they altered her
handsome countenance almost to ugliness; and, snatching up a
music book, and opening it, and holding it full broad in her hands,
she dropt a formal courtesy, to take herself off at the Pantheon, and
said; ‘Oui! j’y suis là comme une statue! comme une petite ecolière!’
And afterwards she contemptuously added: ‘Mais, on n’aime e
guerre ici que les rondeaux!—Moi—j’abhorre ces miseres là!’
One objection, however, and a rather serious one, against her
walking the stage, is that she limps.
Do you know what they assert to be the cause of this lameness? It is
said that, while a mere baby, and at nurse in the country, she was
left rolling on the grass one evening, till she rolled herself round and
round to a pigstie; where a hideous hog welcomed her as a delicious
repast, and mangled one side of the poor infant most cruelly, before
she was missed and rescued. She was recovered with great
difficulty; but obliged to bear the insertion of a plate of silver, to
sustain the parts where the terrible swine had made a chasm; and
thence she has been called ... I forget the Italian name, but that
which has been adopted here is Silver-sides.
“You may imagine that the wags of the day do not let such a
circumstance, belonging to so famous a person, pass unmadrigalled:
Foote, my father tells us, has declared he shall impeach the custom-
house officers, for letting her be smuggled into the kingdom contrary
to law; unless her sides have been entered at the stamp office. And
Lord Sandwich has made a catch, in dialogue and in Italian, between
the infant and the hog, where the former, in a plaintive tone of
soliciting mercy, cries; ‘Caro mio Porco!’ The hog answers by a grunt.
Her piteous entreaty is renewed in the softest, tenderest treble. His
sole reply is expressed in one long note of the lowest, deepest bass.
Some of her highest notes are then ludicrously imitated to vocalize
little shrieks; and the hog, in finale, grunts out, ‘Ah! che bel
mangiar!’
“Lord Sandwich, who shewed this to my father, had, at least, the
grace to say, that he would not have it printed, lest it should get to
her knowledge, till after her return to Italy.”
The radical and scientific merits of this singular personage, and
astonishing performer, are fully expounded in the History of Music.
She left England with great contempt for the land of Rondeaux; and
never desired to visit it again.
LA GABRIELLI.
Of the person and performance of Gabrielli, the History of Music
contains a full and luminous description. She was the most
universally renowned singer of her time; for Agujari died before her
high and unexampled talents had expanded their truly wonderful
supremacy.
Yet here, also, no private detail can be written of the private
performance, or manners, of La Gabrielli, as she never visited at the
house of Dr. Burney; though she most courteously invited him to her
own; in which she received him with flattering distinction. And, as
she had the judgment to set aside, upon his visits, the airs, caprices,
coquetries, and gay insolences, of which the boundless report had
preceded her arrival in England, he found her a high-bred,
accomplished, and engaging woman of the world; or rather, he said,
woman of fashion; for there was a winning ease, nay, captivation, in
her look and air, that could scarcely, in any circle, be surpassed. Her
great celebrity, however, for beauty and eccentricity, as well as for
professional excellence, had raised such inordinate expectations
before she came out, that the following juvenile letters upon the
appearance of so extraordinary a musical personage, will be curious,
—or, at least, diverting, to lovers of musical anecdote.
CONCERT.—EXTRACT IV.
To Samuel Crisp, Esq.
Chesington.
October, 1775.
“My dear Mr. Crisp,
“‘Tis so long since I have written, that I suppose you conclude
we are all gone fortune-hunting to some other planet; but, to skip
apologies, which I know you scoff, I shall atone for my silence, by
telling you that my dear father returned from Buxton in quite
restored health, I thank God! and that his first volume is now rough-
sketched quite to the end, Preface and Dedication inclusive.
“But you are vehement, you say, to hear of Gabrielli.
“Well, so is every body else; but she has not yet sung.
“She is the subject of inquiry and discussion wherever you go. Every
one expects her to sing like a thousand angels, yet to be as
ridiculous as a thousand imps. But I believe she purposes to astonish
them all in a new way; for imagine how sober and how English she
means to become, when I tell you that she has taken a house in
Golden-square, and put a plate upon her door, on which she has had
engraven, “Mrs. Gabrielli.”
“If John Bull is not flattered by that, he must be John Bear.
“Rauzzini, meanwhile, who is to be the first serious singer, has taken
precisely the other side; and will have nothing to do with his
Johnship at all; for he has had his apartments painted a beautiful
rose-colour, with a light myrtle sprig border; and has ornamented
them with little knic-knacs and trinkets, like a fine lady’s dressing-
room.
My father dined with them both the other day, at the manager’s,
Mrs. Brookes, the author, and Mrs. Yates, the ci-devant actress.
Rauzzini sang a great many sweet airs, and very delightfully; but
Gabrielli not a note! Neither did any one presume to ask for such a
favour. Her sister was of the party also, who they say cannot sing at
all; but Gabrielli insisted upon having her engaged, and
advantageously, or refused, peremptorily, to come over.
“Nothing can exceed the impatience of people of all ranks, and all
ways of thinking, concerning this so celebrated singer. And if you do
not come to town to hear her, I shall conclude you lost to all the
Saint Cecilian powers of attraction; and that you are become as
indifferent to music, as to dancing or to horse-racing. For my own
part, if any thing should unfortunately prevent my hearing her first
performance, I shall set it down in my memory ever after, as a very
serious misfortune. Don’t laugh so, dear daddy, pray!
Written the week following.
“How I rejoice, for once, in your hard-heartedness! how ashamed I
should have been if you had come, dearest Sir, to my call! The
Gabrielli did not sing! And she let all London, and all the country too,
I believe, arrive at the theatre before it was proclaimed that she was
not to appear! Every one of our family, and of every other family
that I know,—and that I don’t know besides, were at the Opera
House at an early hour. We, who were to enter at a private door, per
favour of Mrs. Brookes, rushed past all handbills, not thinking them
worth heeding. Poor Mr. Yates, the manager, kept running from one
outlet to another, to relate the sudden desperate hoarseness of la
Signora Gabrielli; and, supplicate patience, and, moreover, credence,
—now from the box openings, now from the pit, now from the
galleries. Had he been less active, or less humble, it is thought the
theatre would have been pulled down; so prodigious was the rage of
the large assemblage; none of them in the least believing that
Gabrielli had the slightest thing the matter with her.
“My father says people do not think that singers have the capacity of
having such a thing as a cold!
“The murmurs, ‘What a shame!’—‘how scandalous!’—‘what insolent
airs!’—kept Mr. Yates upon the alert from post to post, to the utmost
stretch of his ability; though his dolorous countenance painted his
full conviction that he himself was the most seriously to be pitied of
the party; for it was clear that he said, in soliloquy, upon every one
that he sent away: ‘There goes half a guinea!—or, at the least, three
shillings,—if not five, out of my pocket!’
“We all returned home in horrible ill-humour; but solacing ourselves
with a candid determination, taken in a true spirit of liberality, that
though she should sing even better than Agujari, we would not like
her!
My father called upon the managers to know what all this meant;
and Mrs. Brookes then told him, that all that had been reported of
the extraordinary wilfulness of this spoilt child of talent and beauty,
was exceeded by her behaviour. She only sent them word that she
was out of voice, and could not sing, one hour before the house
must be opened! They instantly hurried to her to expostulate, or
rather to supplicate, for they dare neither reproach nor command;
and to represent the utter impossibility of getting up any other opera
so late; and to acknowledge their terror, even for their property,
upon the fury of an English audience, if disappointed so bluffly at the
last moment.
To this she answered very coolly, but with smiles and politeness, that
if le monde expected her so eagerly, she would dress herself, and let
the opera be performed; only, when her songs came to their
symphony, instead of singing, she would make a courtesy, and point
to her throat.
“‘You may imagine, Doctor,’ said Mrs. Brookes, ‘whether we could
trust John Bull with so easy a lady! and at the very instant his ears
were opening to hear her so vaunted performance!’
“Well, my dear Mr. Crisp, now for Saturday, and now for the real
opera. We all went again. There was a prodigious house; such a
one, for fashion at least, as, before Christmas, never yet was seen.
For though every body was afraid there would be a riot, and that
Gabrielli would be furiously hissed, from the spleen of the late
disappointment, nobody could stay away; for her whims and
eccentricities only heighten curiosity for beholding her person.
“The opera was Metastasio’s Didone, and the part for Gabrielli was
new set by Sacchini.
“In the first scene, Rauzzini and Sestini appeared with la Signora
Francesca, the sister of Gabrielli. They prepared us for the approach
of the blazing comet that burst forth in the second.
“Nothing could be more noble than her entrance. It seemed
instantaneously to triumph over her enemies, and conquer her
threateners. The stage was open to its furthest limits, and she was
discerned at its most distant point; and, for a minute or two, there
dauntlessly she stood; and then took a sweep, with a firm, but
accelerating step; and a deep, finely flowing train, till she reached
the orchestra. There she stopt, amidst peals of applause, that
seemed as if they would have shaken the foundations of the theatre.
“What think you now of John Bull?
“I had quite quivered for her, in expectation of cat-calling and
hissings; but the intrepidity of her appearance and approach,
quashed all his resentment into surprised admiration.
“She is still very pretty, though not still very young. She has small,
intelligent, sparkling features; and though she is rather short, she is
charmingly proportioned, and has a very engaging figure. All her
notions are graceful, her air is full of dignity, and her walk is
majestic.
“Though the applause was so violent, she seemed to think it so
simply her due, that she deigned not to honour it with the slightest
mark of acknowledgment, but calmly began her song.
“John Bull, however, enchained, as I believe, by the reported
vagaries of her character, and by the high delight he expected from
her talents, clapped on,—clap, clap, clap!—with such assiduous
noise, that not a note could be heard, nor a notion be started that
any note was sung. Unwilling, then,
“To waste her sweetness on the clamorous air,”
and perhaps growing a little gratified to find she could “soothe the
savage breast,” she condescended to make an Italian courtesy, i.e. a
slight, but dignified bow.
“Honest John, who had thought she would not accept his homage,
but who, through the most abrupt turn from resentment to
admiration, had resolved to bear with all her freaks, was so
enchanted by this affability, that clapping he went on, till, I have
little doubt, the skin of his battered hands went off; determining to
gain another gentle salutation whether she would or not, as an
august sign that she was not displeased with him for being so
smitten, and so humble.
“After this, he suffered the orchestra to be heard.
“Gabrielli, however, was not flattered into spoiling her flatterers.
Probably she liked the spoiling too well to make it over to them. Be
that as it may, she still kept expectation on the rack, by giving us
only recitative, till every other performer had tired our reluctant
attention.
“At length, however, came the grand bravura, ‘Son Regina, e sono
Amante.’
“Here I must stop!—Ah, Mr. Crisp! why would she take words that
had been sung by Agujari?
“Opinions are so different, you must come and judge for yourself.
Praise and censure are bandied backwards and forwards, as if they
were two shuttlecocks between two battledores. The Son Regina
was the only air of consequence that she even attempted; all else
were but bits; pretty enough, but of no force or character for a great
singer.
“How unfortunate that she should take the words, even though to
other music, that we had heard from Agujari!—Oh! She is no
Agujari!
“In short, and to come to the truth, she disappointed us all
egregiously.
However, my dear father, who beyond any body tempers his
judgment with indulgence, pronounces her a very capital singer.
“But she visibly took no pains to exert herself, and appeared so
impertinently easy, that I believe she thought it condescension
enough for us poor savage Islanders to see her stand upon the
stage, and let us look at her. Yet it must at least be owned, that the
tone of her voice, though feeble, is remarkably sweet; that her
action is judicious and graceful, and that her style and manner of
singing are masterly.”
CONCERT.—EXTRACT V.
“You reproach me, my dear Mr. Crisp, for not sending you an
account of our last two concerts. But the fact is, I have not any thing
new to tell you. The music has always been the same: the
matrimonial duets are so much à-la-mode, that no other thing in our
house is now demanded.
“But if I can write you nothing new about music—you want, I well
know you will say, to hear some conversations.
“My dear Mr. Crisp, there is, at this moment, no such thing as
conversation. There is only one question asked, meet whom you
may, namely; ‘How do you like Gabrielli?’ and only two modes,
contradictory to be sure, but very steady, of reply: either, ‘Of all
things upon earth!’ or, ‘Not the least bit in the whole world!’
“Well, now I will present you with a specimen, beginning with our
last concert but one, and arranging the persons of the drama in the
order of their actual appearance.
“But imprimis, I should tell you, that the motive to this concert was a
particular request to my father from Dr. King, our old friend, and the
chaplain to the British—something—at St. Petersburgh, that he
would give a little music to a certain mighty personage, who,
somehow or other how, must needs take, transiently at least, a front
place in future history,—namely, the famed favourite of the Empress
Catherine of Russia, Prince Orloff.
“There, my dear Mr. Crisp! what say you to seeing such a doughty
personage as that in a private house, at a private party, of a private
individual, fresh imported from the Czarina of all the Russias,—to sip
a cup of tea in St. Martin’s-Street?
“I wonder whether future historians will happen to mention this
circumstance? I am thinking of sending it to all the keepers of
records.
“But I see your rising eyebrow at this name—your start—your
disgust—yet big curiosity.
“Well, suppose the family assembled, its honoured chief in the midst
—and Tat, tat, tat, tat, at the door.
Enter Dr. Ogle, Dean of Winchester.
“Dr. Burney, after the usual ceremonies.—‘Did you hear the Gabrielli
last night, Mr. Dean?’
“The Dean.—‘No, Doctor, I made the attempt, but soon retreated;
for I hate a crowd,—as much as the ladies love it!—I beg pardon!’
bowing with a sort of civil sneer at we Fair Sex.
“My mother was entering upon a spirited defence, when—Tat, tat,
tat.
Enter Dr. King.
“He brought the compliments of Prince Orloff, with his Highness’s
apologies for being so late, but he was obliged to dine at Lord
Buckingham’s, and thence, to shew himself at Lady Harrington’s.
“As nobody thought of inquiring into Dr. King’s opinion of La
Gabrielli, conversation was at a stand, till—Tat, tat, tat, tat, too, and
“Enter Lady Edgcumbe.
“We were all introduced to her, and she was very chatty, courteous,
and entertaining.
“Dr. Burney.—‘Your Ladyship was certainly at the Opera last night?’
“Lady Edgcumbe.—‘O yes!—but I have not heard the Gabrielli! I
cannot allow that I have yet heard her.’
“Dr. Burney.—‘Your Ladyship expected a more powerful voice?’
“Lady Edgcumbe.—‘Why n-o—not much. The shadow can tell what
the substance must be; but she cannot have acquired this great
reputation throughout Europe for nothing. I therefore repeat that I
have not yet heard her. She must have had a cold.—But, for me—I
have heard Mingotti!—I have heard Montecelli!—I have heard
Mansuoli!—and I shall never hear them again!’
“The Dean.—‘But, Lady Edgcumbe, may not Gabrielli have great
powers, and yet have too weak a voice for so large a theatre?’
“Lady Edgcumbe.—‘Our theatre, Mr. Dean, is of no size to what she
has been accustomed to abroad. But,—Dr. Burney, I have also heard
the Agujari!’
“Hettina, Fanny, Susanna.—‘Oh! Agujari!’ (All three speaking with
clasped hands.)
“Dr. Burney (laughing).—‘Your ladyship darts into all their hearts by
naming Agujari! However, I have hopes you will hear her again.’
“Lady Edgcumbe.—‘O, Dr. Burney! bring her but to the Opera,—and
I shall grow crazy!’
“I assure you, my dear Mr. Crisp, we all longed to embrace her
ladyship. And she met our sympathy with a good-humour full of
pleasure. My father added, that we all doated upon Agujari.
“Lady Edgcumbe.—‘O! she is incomparable!—Mark but the
difference, Dr. Burney; by Gabrielli, Rauzzini seems to have a great
voice;—by Agujari, he seemed to have that of a child.’—
“Tat, tat, tat, tat, too.
“Enter The Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Brudenel.
“Mr. Brudenell,[7] commonly called ‘His Honour,’ from high birth, I
suppose, without title, or from some quaint old cause that nobody
knows who has let me into its secret, is tall and stiff, and strongly in
the ton of the present day; which is anything rather than
macaroniism; for it consists of unbounded freedom and ease, with a
short, abrupt, dry manner of speech; and in taking the liberty to ask
any question that occurs upon other people’s affairs and opinions;
even upon their incomes and expences;—nay, even upon their age!
“Did you ever hear of any thing so shocking?
“I do not much mind it now; but, when I grow older, I intend
recommending to have this part of their code abolished.
“Mrs. Brudenel is very obliging and pleasing; and of as great fame as
a lady singer, as Lady Edgcumbe is as a first rate lady player.
“The usual question being asked of La Gabrielli;
“_Mrs. Brudenel._—‘O, Lady Edgcumbe and I are entirely of the
same opinion; we agree that we have not yet heard her.’
“_Lady Edgcumbe._—‘The ceremony of her quitting the theatre after
the opera is over, is extremely curious. First goes a man in livery to
clear the way; then follows the sister; then the Gabrielli herself.
Then, a little foot-page, to bear her train; and, lastly, another man,
who carries her muff, in which is her lap-dog.’
“Mr. Brudenel.—‘But where is Lord March all this time?’
“Lady Edgcumbe (laughing).—‘Lord March? O,——he, you know, is
First Lord of the Bedchamber!’—
“Tat, tat, tat, tat.
“Enter M. le Baron de Demidoff.
“He is a Russian nobleman, who travels with Prince Orloff; and he
preceded his Highness with fresh apologies, and a desire that the
concert might not wait, as he would only shew himself at Lady
Harrington’s, and hasten hither.
“My father then attended Lady Edgcumbe to the Library, and Mr.
Burney took his place at the harpsichord.
“We all followed. He was extremely admired; but I have nothing new
to tell you upon that subject.
“Then enter Mr. Chamier. Then followed several others; and then
“Enter Mr. Harris, of Salisbury.
“Susan and I quite delighted in his sight, he is so amiable to talk
with, and so benevolent to look at. Lady Edgcumbe rose to meet
him, saying he was her particular old friend. He then placed himself
by Susan and me, and renewed acquaintance in the most pleasing
manner possible. I told him we were all afraid he would be tired to
death of so much of one thing, for we had nothing to offer him but
again the duet. ‘That is the very reason I solicited to come,’ he
answered; ‘I was so much charmed the last time, that I begged Dr.
Burney to give me a repetition of the same pleasure.’
“‘Then—of course, the opera? The Gabrielli?’
“Mr. Harris declared himself her partizan.
“Lady Edgcumbe warmed up ardently for Agajari.
“Mr. Dean.—‘But pray, Dr. Burney, why should not these two
melodious signoras sing together, that we might judge them fairly?’
“Dr. Burney.—‘Oh! the rivalry would be too strong. It would create a
musical war. It would be Cæsar and Pompey.’
“Lady Edgcumbe.—‘Pompey the Little, then, I am sure would be la
Gabrielli!’
“Enter Lord Bruce.
“He is a younger brother not only of the Duke of Montagu, but of his
Honour Brudenel. How the titles came to be so awkwardly arranged
in this family is no affair of mine; so you will excuse my sending you
to the Herald’s Office, if you want that information, my dear Mr.
Crisp; though as you are one of the rare personages who are skilled
in every thing yourself,—at least so says my father;—and he is a
Doctor, you know!—I dare say you will genealogize the matter to me
at once, when next I come to dear Chesington.
“He is tall, thin, and plain, but remarkably sensible, agreeable, and
polite; as, I believe, are very generally all those keen looking
Scotchmen; for Scotch, not from his accent, but his name, I
conclude him of course. Can Bruce be other than Scotch? They are
far more entertaining, I think, as well as informing, taken in the
common run, than we silentious English; who, taken en masse, are
tolerably dull.
“The Opera?—the Gabrielli?—were now again brought forward. Lady
Edgcumbe, who is delightfully music mad, was so animated, that she
was quite the life of the company.
“At length—Tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, too!
“Enter His Highness Prince Orloff.
“Have you heard the dreadful story of the thumb, by which this
terrible Prince is said to have throttled the late Emperor of Russia,
Peter, by suddenly pressing his windpipe while he was drinking? I
hope it is not true; and Dr. King, of whom, while he resided in
Russia, Prince Orloff was the patron, denies the charge.
Nevertheless, it is so currently reported, that neither Susan nor I
could keep it one moment from our thoughts; and we both shrunk
from him with secret horror, heartily wishing him in his own Black
Sea.
“His sight, however, produced a strong sensation, both in those who
believed, and those who discredited this disgusting barbarity; for
another story, not perhaps, of less real, though of less sanguinary
guilt, is not a tale of rumour, but a crime of certainty; namely, that
he is the first favourite of the cruel inhuman Empress—if it be true
that she connived at this horrible murder.
“His Highness was immediately preceded by another Russian
nobleman, whose name I have forgot; and followed by a noble
Hessian, General Bawr.
“Prince Orloff is of stupendous stature, something resembling Mr.
Bruce. He is handsome, tall, fat, upright, magnificent. His dress was
superb. Besides the blue garter, he had a star of diamonds of
prodigious brilliancy, a shoulder knot of the same lustre and value,
and a picture of the Empress hung about his neck, set round with
diamonds of such brightness and magnitude, that, when near the
light, they were too dazzling for the eye. His jewels, Dr. King says,
are estimated at one hundred thousand pounds sterling.
“His air and address are shewy, striking, and assiduously courteous.
He had a look that frequently seemed to say, ‘I hope you observe
that I come from a polished court?—I hope you take note that I am
no Cossack?’—Yet, with all this display of commanding affability, he
seems, from his native taste and humour, ‘agreeably addicted to
pleasantry.’ He speaks very little English, but knows French perfectly.
“His introduction to my father, in which Dr. King pompously figured,
passed in the drawing-room. The library was so crowded, that he
could only show himself at the door, which was barely high enough
not to discompose his prodigious toupee.
“He bowed to Mr. Chamier, then my next neighbour, whom he had
somewhere met; but I was so impressed by the shocking rumours of
his horrible actions, that involuntarily I drew back even from a bow
of vicinity; murmuring to Mr. Chamier, ‘He looks so potent and
mighty, I do not like to be near him!’
“‘He has been less unfortunate,’ answered Mr. Chamier, archly,
‘elsewhere; such objection has not been made to him by all ladies!’
“Lord Bruce, who knew, immediately rose to make way for him, and
moved to another end of the room. The Prince instantly held out his
vast hand, in which, if he had also held a cambric handkerchief, it
must have looked like a white flag on the top of a mast,—so much
higher than the most tip-top height of every head in the room was
his spread out arm, as he exclaimed, ‘Ah! mi lord me fuit!’
“His Honour, then, rising also, with a profound reverence, offered his
seat to his Highness; but he positively refused to accept it, and
declared, that if Mr. Brudenel would not be seated, he would himself
retire; and seeing Mr. Brudenel demur, still begging his Highness to
take the chair, he cried with a laugh, but very peremptorily, ‘Non,
non, Monsieur! Je ne le veux pas! Je suis opiniatre, moi;—un peu
comme Messieurs les Anglais!’
“Mr. Brudenel then re-seated himself: and the corner of a form
appearing to be vacant, from the pains taken by poor Susan to
shrink away from Mr. Orloff, his Highness suddenly dropped down
upon it his immense weight, with a force—notwithstanding a
palpable and studied endeavour to avoid doing mischief—that
threatened his gigantic person with plumping upon the floor; and
terrified all on the opposite side of the form with the danger of
visiting the ceiling.
“Perceiving Susan strive, though vainly, from want of space, to glide
further off from him, and struck, perhaps, by her sweet
countenance, ‘Ah, ha!’ he cried, ‘Je tiens ici, Je vois, une petite
Prisonnière?!’
“Charlotte, blooming like a budding little Hebe, actually stole into a
corner, from affright at the whispered history of his thumb ferocity.
“Mr. Chamier, who now probably had developed what passed in my
mind, contrived, very comically, to disclose his similar sentiment; for,
making a quiet way to my ear, he said, in a low voice, ‘I wish Dr.
Burney had invited Omiah here tonight, instead of Prince Orloff!’
Meaning, no doubt, of the two exotics, he should have preferred the
most innocent!
“The grand duet of Müthel was now called for, and played. But I can
tell you nothing extra of the admiration it excited. Your Hettina
looked remarkably pretty; and, added to the applause given to the
music, every body had something to observe upon the singularity of
the performers being husband and wife. Prince Orloff was witty quite
to facetiousness; sarcastically marking something beyond what he
said, by a certain ogling, half cynical, half amorous, cast of his eyes;
and declaring he should take care to initiate all the foreign
academies of natural philosophy, in the secret of the harmony that
might be produced by such nuptial concord.
“The Russian nobleman who accompanied Prince Orloff, and who
knew English, they told us, so well that he was the best interpreter
for his Highness in his visits, gave us now a specimen of his
proficiency; for, clapping his fore finger upon a superfine snuffbox,
he exclaimed, when the duet was finished, ‘Ma foi, dis is so pretty as
never I hear in my life!’
“General Bawr, also, to whom Mr. Harris directed my attention, was
greatly charmed. He is tall, and of stern and martial aspect. ‘He is a
man,’ said Mr. Harris, ‘to be looked at, from his courage, conduct,
and success during the last Russian war; when, though a Hessian by
birth, he was a Lieutenant General in the service of the Empress of
Russia; and obtained the two military stars, which you now see him
wear on each side, by his valour.’
“But the rapture of Lady Edgcumbe was more lively than that of any
other. ‘Oh, Doctor Burney,’ she cried, ‘you have set me a madding! I
would willingly practice night and day to be able to perform in such
a manner. I vow I would rather hear that extraordinary duet played
in that extraordinary manner, than twenty operas!’
“Her ladyship was now introduced to Prince Orloff, whom she had
not happened to meet with before; and they struck up a most
violent flirtation together. She invited him to her house, and begged
leave to send him a card. He accepted the invitation, but begged
leave to fetch the card in person. She should be most happy, she
said, to receive him, for though she had but a small house, she had
a great ambition. And so they went on, in gallant courtesie, till, once
again, the question was brought back of the opera, and the Gabrielli.
“The Prince declared that she had not by any means sang as well as
at St. Petersburgh; and General Bawr protested that, had he shut his
eyes, he should not again have known her.
“Then followed, to vary the entertainment, singing by Mrs. Brudenel.
“Prince Orloff inquired very particularly of Dr. King, who we four
young female Burneys were; for we were all dressed alike, on
account of our mourning; and when Dr. King answered, ‘Dr. Burney’s
daughters;’ she was quite astonished; for he had not thought our
dear father, he said, more than thirty years of age; if so much.
“Mr. Harris, in a whisper, told me he wished some of the ladies would
desire to see the miniature of the Empress a little nearer; the
monstrous height of the Prince putting it quite out of view to his old
eyes and short figure; and being a man, he could not, he said,
presume to ask such an indulgence as that of holding it in his own
hands.
“Delighted to do any thing for this excellent Mr. Harris, and quite at
my ease with poor prosing Dr. King, I told him the wish of Mr. Harris.
“Dr. King whispered the desire to M. de Demidoff; M. de Demidoff
did the same to General de Bawr; and General de Bawr dauntlessly
made the petition to the Prince, in the name of The Ladies.
“The Prince laughed, rather sardonically; yet with ready good-
humour complied; telling the General, pretty much sans ceremonie,
to untie the ribbon round his neck, and give the picture into the
possession of The Ladies.
“He was very gallant and debonnaire upon the occasion, entreating
they would by no means hurry themselves; yet his smile, as his eye
sharply followed the progress, from hand to hand, of the miniature,
had a suspicious cast of investigating whether it would be worth his
while to ask any favour of them in return! and through all the superb
magnificence of his display of courtly manners, a little bit of the
Cossack, methought, broke out, when he desired to know whether
The Ladies wished for any thing else? declaring, with a smiling bow,
and rolling, languishing, yet half contemptuous eyes, that, if The
Ladies would issue their commands, they should strip him entirely!
“You may suppose, after that, nobody asked for a closer view of any
more of his ornaments! The good, yet unaffectedly humorous
philosopher of Salisbury, could not help laughing, even while actually
blushing at it, that his own curiosity should have involved The Ladies
in this supercilious sort of sarcastic homage.
“There was hardly any looking at the picture of the Empress for the
glare of the diamonds. One of them, I really believe, was as big as a
nutmeg: though I am somewhat ashamed to undignify my subject
by so culinary a comparison.
“When we were all satisfied, the miniature was restored by General
Bawr to the Prince, who took it with stately complacency;
condescendingly making a smiling bow to each fair female who had
had possession of it; and receiving from her in return a lowly
courtesy.
“Mr. Harris, who was the most curious to see the Empress, because
his son, Sir James, [8] was, or is intended to be, minister at her
court, had slyly looked over every shoulder that held her; but would
not venture, he archly whispered, to take the picture in his own
hands, lest he should be included, by the Prince, amongst The
Ladies, as an old woman!
“Have you had enough of this concert, my dear Mr. Crisp? I have
given it in detail, for the humour of letting you see how absorbing of
the public voice is La Gabrielli: and, also, for describing to you Prince
Orloff; a man who, when time lets out facts, and drives in mysteries,
must necessarily make a considerable figure, good or bad—but
certainly not indifferent,—in European history. Besides, I want your
opinion, whether there is not an odd and striking resemblance in
general manners, as well as in Herculean strength and height, in this
Siberian Prince and his Abyssinian Majesty?”
CONCERT.—EXTRACT THE SIXTH.
“My dear Mr. Crisp.
“I must positively talk to you again of the sweet Baroness Deiden,
though I am half afraid to write you any more details of our Duet
Concerts, lest they should tire your patience as much as my fingers.
But you will be pleased to hear that they are still à-la-mode. We
have just had another at the request of M. le Comte de Guignes, the
French ambassador, delivered by Lady Edgcumbe; who not only
came again her lively self, but brought her jocose and humorous
lord; who seems as sportive and as fond of a hoax as any tar who
walks the quarter-deck; and as cleverly gifted for making, as he is
gaily disposed for enjoying one. They were both full of good-humour
and spirits, and we liked them amazingly. They have not a grain of
what you style the torpor of the times.
Lady Edgcumbe was so transported by Müthel, that when her lord
emitted a little cough, though it did not find vent till he had half
stifled himself to check it, she called out, ‘What do you do here, my
Lord, coughing? We don’t want that accompaniment.’ I wish you
could have seen how drolly he looked. I am sure he was full primed
with a ready repartee. But her ladyship was so intently in ecstacy,
and he saw us all round so intently admiring her enthusiasm, that I
verily believe he thought it would not be safe to interrupt the
performance, even with the best witticism of his merry imagination.
“We had also, for contrast, the new Groom of the Stole, Lord
Ashburnham, with his key of gold dangling from his pocket. He is
elegant and pleasing, though silent and reserved; and just as
scrupulously high-bred, as Lord Edgcumbe is frolicsomely facetious.
“But, my dear Mr. Crisp, we had again the bewitching Danish
ambassadress, the Baroness Deiden, and her polite husband, the
Baron. She is really one of the most delightful creatures in this lower
world, if she is not one of the most deceitful. We were more
charmed with her than ever. I wonder whether Ophelia was like her?
or, rather, I have no doubt but she was just such another. So
musical, too! The Danish Court was determined to show us that our
great English bard knew what he was about, when he drew so
attractive a Danish female. The Baron seems as sensible of her merit
as if he were another Hamlet himself—though that is no man I ever
yet saw! She speaks English very prettily; as she can’t help, I
believe, doing whatever she sets about. She said to my father, ‘How
good you were, Sir, to remember us! We are very much oblige
indeed.’ And then to my sister, ‘I have heard no music since I was
here last!’
“We had also Lord Barrington, brother to my father’s good friend
Daines, and to the excellent Bishop of Salisbury.[9]. His lordship, as
you know, is universally reckoned clever, witty, penetrating, and
shrewd. But he bears this high character any where rather than in
his air and look, which by no means pronounce his superiority of
their own accord. Doubtless, however, he has ‘that within which
passeth shew;’ for there is only one voice as to his talents and merit.
“His Honour, Mr. Brudenel,—but I will not again run over the names
of the duplicates from the preceding concerts. I will finish my list
with Lord Sandwich.
“And most welcome he made himself to us, in entering the drawing-
room, by giving intelligence that he had just heard from the
circumnavigators, and that our dear James was well.
“Lord Sandwich is a tall, stout man, and looks as furrowed and
weather-proof as any sailor in the navy; and, like most of the old set
of that brave tribe, he has good nature and joviality marked in every
feature. I want to know why he is called Jemmy Twitcher in the
newspapers? Do pray tell me that?
“But why do I prepare for closing my account, before I mention him
for whom it was opened? namely, M. le Comte de Guignes, the
French ambassador.
“He was looked upon, when he first came over, as one of the
handsomest of men, as well as one of the most gallant; and his
conquests amongst the fair dames of the court were in proportion
with those two circumstances. I hope, therefore, now,—as I am no
well-wisher to these sort of conquerors,—that his defeats, in future,
will counter-balance his victories; for he is grown so fat, and looks so
sleek and supine, that I think the tender tribe will hence-forward be
in complete safety, and may sing, in full chorus, while viewing him,
“‘Sigh no more, Ladies, sigh no more!’
“He was, however, very civil, and seemed well entertained; though
he left an amusing laugh behind him from the pomposity of his exit;
for not finding, upon quitting the music room, with an abrupt French
leave, half a dozen of our lackeys waiting to anticipate his orders;
half a dozen of those gentlemen not being positively at hand; he
indignantly and impatiently called out aloud: ‘Mes gens! où sont mes
gens? Que sont ils donc devenu? Mes gens! Je dis! Mes gens!’
“Previously to this, the duet had gone off with its usual eclât.
“Lord Sandwich then expressed an earnest desire to hear the
Baroness play: but she would not listen to him, and seemed vexed
to be entreated, saying to my sister Hettina, who joined his lordship
in the solicitation, ‘Oh yes! it will be very pretty, indeed, after all this
so fine music, to see me play a little minuet!’
“Lord Sandwich applied to my father to aid his petition; but my
father, though he wished himself to hear the Baroness again, did not
like to tease her, when he saw her modesty of refusal was real; and
consequently, that overcoming it would be painful. I am sure I could
not have pressed her for the world! But Lord Sandwich, who, I
suppose, is heart of oak, was not so scrupulous, and hovered over
her, and would not desist; though turning her head away from him,
and waving her hand to distance him, she earnestly said: ‘I beg—I
beg, my lord!—’
“Lord Barrington then, who, we found, was an intimate acquaintance
of the ambassador’s, attempted to seize the waving hand; conjuring
her to consent to let him lead her to the instrument.
“But she hastily drew in her hand, and exclaimed: ‘Fie, fie, my lord
Barrington!—so ill natured!—I should not think was you! Besides,
you have heard me so often.’
“‘Madame la Baronne,’ replied he, with vivacity, ‘I want you to play
precisely because Lord Sandwich has not heard you, and because I
have!’
“All, however, was in vain, till the Baron came forward, and said to
her, ‘Ma chère—you had better play something—anything—than give
such a trouble.’
“She instantly arose, saying with a little reluctant shrug, but
accompanied by a very sweet smile, ‘Now this looks just as if I was
like to be so much pressed!’
“She then played a slow movement of Abel’s, and a minuet of
Schobert’s, most delightfully, and with so much soul and expression,
that your Hettina could hardly have played them better.
“She is surely descended in a right line from Ophelia! only, now I
think of it, Ophelia dies unmarried. That is horribly unlucky. But, oh
Shakespeare!—all-knowing Shakespeare!—how came you to picture
just such female beauty and sweetness and harmony in a Danish
court, as was to be brought over to England so many years after, in
a Danish ambassadress?
“But I have another no common thing to tell you. Do you know that
my Lord Barrington, from the time that he addressed the Baroness
Deiden, and that her manner shewed him to stand fair in her good
opinion, wore quite a new air? and looked so high-bred and
pleasing, that I could not think what he had done with his original
appearance; for it then had as good a Viscount mien as one might
wish to see on a summer’s day. Now how is this, my dear Daddy?
You, who deride all romance, tell me how it could happen? I know
you formerly were acquainted with Lord Barrington, and liked him
very much—pray, was it in presence of some fair Ophelia that you
saw him?”
MRS. SHERIDAN.
But highest, at this season, in the highest circles of society, from the
triple bewitchment of talents, beauty, and fashion, stood the fair
Linley Sheridan; who now gave concerts at her own house, to which
entrance was sought not only by all the votaries of taste, and
admirers of musical excellence, but by all the leaders of ton, and
their numerous followers, or slaves; with an ardour for admittance
that was as eager for beholding as for listening to this matchless
warbler; so astonishingly in concord were the charms of person,
manners, and voice, for the eye and for the ear, of this resistless
syren.
To these concerts Dr. Burney was frequently invited; where he had
the pleasure, while enjoying the spirit of her conversation, the
winning softness of her address, and the attraction of her smiles, to
return her attention to him by the delicacy of accompaniment with
which he displayed her vocal perfection.
HISTORY OF MUSIC.
In the midst of this energetic life of professional exertion, family
avocations, worldly prosperity, and fashionable distinction, Dr.
Burney lost not one moment that he could purloin either from its
pleasures or its toils, to dedicate to what had long become the
principal object of his cares,—his musical work.
Music, as yet, whether considered as a science or as an art, had
been written upon only in partial details, to elucidate particular
points of theory or of practice; but no general plan, or history of its
powers, including its rise, progress, uses, and changes, in all the
known nations of the world, had ever been attempted: though, at
the time Dr. Burney set out upon his tours, to procure or to enlarge
materials for such a work, it singularly chanced that there started up
two fellow-labourers in the same vineyard, one English, the other
Italian, who were working in their studies upon the same idea—
namely, Sir John Hawkins, and Padre Martini. A French musical
historian, also, M. de La Borde, took in hand the same subject, by a
striking coincidence, nearly at the same period.
Each of their labours has now been long before the public; and each,
as usual, has received the mede of pre-eminence, according to the
sympathy of its readers with the several views of the subject given
by the several authors.
The impediments to all progressive expedition that stood in the way
of this undertaking with Dr. Burney, were so completely beyond his
control, that, with his utmost efforts and skill, it was not till the year
1776, which was six years after the publication of his plan, that he
was able to bring forth his
HISTORY OF MUSIC.
And even then, it was the first volume only that he could publish;
nor was it till six years later followed by the second.
Greatly, however, to a mind like his, was every exertion repaid by the
honour of its reception. The subscription, by which he had been
enabled to sustain its numerous expences in books, travels, and
engravings, had brilliantly been filled with the names of almost all
that were most eminent in literature, high in rank, celebrated in the
arts, or leading in the fashion of the day. And while the lovers of
music received with eagerness every account of that art in which
they delighted; scholars, and men of letters in general, who hitherto
had thought of music but as they thought of a tune that might be
played or sung from imitation, were astonished at the depth of
research, and almost universality of observation, reading, and
meditation, which were now shewn to be requisite for such an
undertaking: while the manner in which, throughout the work, such
varied matter was displayed, was so natural, so spirited, and so
agreeable, that the History of Music not only awakened respect and
admiration for its composition; it excited, also, an animated desire,
in almost the whole body of its readers, to make acquaintance with
its author.
The History of Music was dedicated, by permission, to her Majesty,
Queen Charlotte; and was received with even peculiar graciousness
when it was presented, at the drawing-room, by the author. The
Queen both loved and understood the subject; and had shewn the
liberal exemption of her fair mind from all petty nationality, in the
frank approbation she had deigned to express of the Doctor’s Tours;
notwithstanding they so palpably displayed his strong preference of
the Italian vocal music to that of the German.
So delighted was Doctor Burney by the condescending manner of
the Queen’s acceptance of his musical offering, that he never
thenceforward failed paying his homage to their Majesties, upon the
two birth-day anniversaries of those august and beloved Sovereigns.
STREATHAM.
Fair was this period in the life of Dr. Burney. It opened to him a new
region of enjoyment, supported by honours, and exhilarated by
pleasures supremely to his taste: honours that were literary,
pleasures that were intellectual. Fair was this period, though not yet
was it risen to its acme: a fairer still was now advancing to his
highest wishes, by free and frequent intercourse with the man in the
world to whose genius and worth united, he looked up the most
reverentially—Dr. Johnson.
And this intercourse was brought forward through circumstances of
such infinite agreeability, that no point, however flattering, of the
success that led him to celebrity, was so welcome to his honest and
honourable pride, as being sought for at Streatham, and his
reception at that seat of the Muses.
Mrs. Thrale, the lively and enlivening lady of the mansion, was then
at the height of the glowing renown which, for many years, held her
in stationary superiority on that summit.
Welcome to our website – the perfect destination for book lovers and
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Processes Systems and Information An Introduction to MIS 1st Edition Kroenke Solutions Manual

  • 1.
    Processes Systems andInformation An Introduction to MIS 1st Edition Kroenke Solutions Manual download pdf https://testbankfan.com/product/processes-systems-and-information-an- introduction-to-mis-1st-edition-kroenke-solutions-manual/ Visit testbankfan.com to explore and download the complete collection of test banks or solution manuals!
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  • 5.
    1 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 7 Supporting Procurement with SAP Chapter Objectives/Study Questions Q1. What are the fundamentals of a Procurement process? Q2. How did the Procurement process at CBI work before SAP? Q3. What were the problems with the Procurement process before SAP? Q4. How does CBI implement SAP? Q5. How does the Procurement process work at CBI after SAP? Q6. How can SAP improve supply chain processes at CBI? Q7. How does the use of SAP change CBI? Q8. What new IS will affect the Procurement process in 2024?
  • 6.
    2 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. List of Key Terms • 3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing, objects are manufactured through the deposition of successive layers of material. • Augmented reality – computer data or graphics overlaid onto the physical environment. • Bottleneck – event that occurs when a limited resource greatly reduces the output of an integrated series of activities or processes. • Bullwhip effect – occurs when companies order more supplies than are needed due to a sudden change in demand. • Buy-in – selling a product or system for less than its true price. • Finished goods inventory – completed products awaiting delivery to customers. • Internal control – control that systematically limits the actions and behaviors of employees, processes, and systems within the organization to safeguard assets and to achieve objectives. • Invoice – an itemized bill sent by the supplier. • Lead time – the time required for a supplier to deliver an order. • Procurement – the process of obtaining goods and services such as raw materials, machine spare parts, and cafeteria series. It is an operational process executed hundreds or thousands of times a day in a large organization. The three main procurement activities are Order, Receive, and Pay. • Purchase order – a written document requesting delivery of a specified quantity of product or service in return for payment. • Purchase requisition (PR) – an internal company document that issues a request for a purchase. • Radio-frequency identification (RFID) – chips that broadcast data to receivers to display and record data that can be used to identify and track items in the supply chain. • Raw materials inventory – stores components like bicycle tires and other goods procured from suppliers. • Returns Management process – manages returns of a business’ faulty products. • Roll up – the accounting process to compile and summarize the accounting transactions into balance sheets and income statements. • Supplier evaluation process – process to determine the criteria for supplier selection that adds or removes suppliers from the list of approved suppliers. • Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) process – process that automates, simplifies, and accelerates a variety of supply chain processes. It helps companies reduce procurement costs, build collaborative supplier relationships, better manage supplier options, and improve time to market. • Supply chain management (SCM) – the design, planning, execution, and integration of all supply chain processes. It uses a collection of tools, techniques, and management activities to help businesses develop integrated supply chains that support organizational strategy. • Three-way match – the data on the invoice must match the purchase order and the goods receipt.
  • 7.
    3 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. MIS InClass 7 1. Describe the order pattern from the customers to the retailer every week. The order pattern from the customers to the retailer was random from week to week. One week demand would be six bikes, and 12 the next. The following week demand would be for only two bikes. Sometimes the demand would trend upward, steadily increasing over a period of weeks. At other times, demand would slowly fall over a period of time. 2. Why did the ordering pattern between the suppliers in the supply chain evolve the way it did? Initially, the ordering pattern between the stations was very erratic. A bullwhip effect was created. As the game moved forward, product was able to work its way through the supply chain, so orders were able to be met. This created a pattern of over- ordering, which led to generally excessive inventory. As the randomness of the orders was realized, the orders through the supply chain moved up and down as well. 3. What are the objectives and measures for each team’s procurement process? The objectives for each station are to have less inventory and less backorders. To measure this, stations use the total cost. The total cost is 0.5 (inventory) +1 (backorders). 4. Where is the IS? What would more data allow? What data are most needed? There is not an IS present in the game. More data would allow materials planning within the supply chain. Customer demand is most needed. It takes a long time to get the customer data through the different stations. If the factory had a more direct view of customer demand, the backorder and inventory problems would not be as exaggerated downstream. 5. If you spent money on an IS, would it improve an activity, data flow, control, automation, or procedure? It would improve the linkage between the retailer and each of the stations in the supply chain. Without an IS, each station can only know what the demand is one station away, and there is an inherent lag. This lag can be reduced when every station understands what the customer demand actually is.
  • 8.
    4 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. 6. Create a BPMN diagram of your team’s weekly procurement process. Procurement Process for Wholesaler Purchasing Manager Warehouse Manager Fulfillment Manager Phase Receive Incoming Orders and Advance the order delay Fill the Order Place Order Receive Inventory and advance the shipping delay Record Back Log Start Enough inventory to fulfill Yes No Check Inventory Inventory Update Inventory Enough Inventory No End Yes Update Inventory
  • 9.
    5 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Using Your Knowledge 7-1. Two supply chain processes introduced in this chapter are Returns Management and Supplier Evaluation. a. Create a BPMN diagram of each of these processes. Returns Managment Retailer Factory Supplier Phase Start End Product Received by Retailer Product Returned to Factory Correct Supplier Charged for Defect Replacement Product issued to Customer Product Received by Factory Product Examined for Defect Supplier Charged
  • 10.
    6 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Supplier Evaluation Approved Supplier List Purchasing Manager Phase Approved Supplier DB Start End Suppliers are nominated Information Gathered Supplier Approved Update List Yes b. Specify efficiency and effectiveness objectives for each process and identify measures appropriate for CBI. Potential efficiency objective examples for: Returns Management: Fewer product returns. Supplier Evaluation: Time to approve suppliers.
  • 11.
    7 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Potential effectiveness objective examples for: Returns Management: Quality Controls. Supplier Evaluation: Sufficient number of approved suppliers. Potential efficiency measures for: Returns Management: Percentage of quality control tests passed and inspecting parts prior to assembly. Supplier Evaluation: Inventory turnover. Potential effectiveness measures for: Returns Management: Decrease in Product Returns account. Supplier Evaluation: Decrease in the number of suppliers removed from the list of approved suppliers. c. What new information system technologies could be used by CBI to improve these processes, as specified by your measures in part b? Can AR, RFID, or 3D printing be used to improve these processes? Yes, RFID could be used to track batches of parts that fail a quality control inspection, allowing CBI to find the parts before they are used to assemble other products. Augmented Reality could be used when inspecting a returned product. The parts in the product could be linked directly to the supplier, allowing CBI to quickly charge the supplier for the defect to reduce its own Returns allowance and increase its accounts receivable. 7-2. Which of the four nonroutine cognitive skills identified in Chapter 1 (i.e., abstract reasoning, systems thinking, collaboration, and experimentation) did you use to answer the previous question? Based on the example answer for question 1, the nonroutine cognitive skill of systems thinking was used to determine what available technologies could be used by CBI to help improve its processes and how the technologies could be leveraged to help each other. Abstract reasoning was also utilized to determine in which step of the process the technology could be used. 7-3. Which of the four skills in Exercise 7-2 would be most important for Wally’s replacement? Wally’s replacement will need to possess systems thinking in order to connect all of the inputs and outputs produced by CBI into one big system. The three remaining non-routine skills will also be important for Wally’s replacement. Technology moves quickly and to remain an effective manager, Wally’s replacement will need to move quickly as well. Over the course of ten or twenty years, the processes will also change, creating more opportunities for CBI to improve and become an even better business.
  • 12.
    8 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. 7-4. The Procurement process in this chapter is an inbound logistics operational process. Name two other operational processes at CBI. Describe two inbound logistics managerial processes and two strategic processes. Examples of two other operational processes are Accounts Payable and Conducting Sales. Examples of inbound logistics managerial processes include materials requirement planning and production assembly employee scheduling. Examples of strategic processes include budget planning and determining future warehouse space requirements. 7-5. If a warehouse worker opens a box and the contents are broken, those items will be returned to the supplier. Add this activity to the BPMN diagram of the Procurement process (Figure 7-14). Updated BPMN for Figure 7-12 Purchasing Manager Warehouse Manager SAP Application Accountant Phase Start Update DB Create Purchase Requisition Create Purchase Order Receive Goods Receive Invoice Yes Consistent 3 Way Match Pay Supplier Yes End Retrieve Three-Way Match Data Update DB SAP DB No Product in Acceptable Condition Return Product to Supplier No 7-6. For the Procurement process after SAP implementation, what are the triggers for each activity to start? For example, what action (trigger) initiates the Create PO activity? To start, the raw material inventory for a given product must drop below a predetermined level. This will cause a purchase requisition to be created. Once a PR is created, the purchasing manager must approve it in order to create a purchase order. Once a PO is created and the materials are delivered, a goods receipt is
  • 13.
    9 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. created. Once the goods are added to the inventory, the goods receipt creates an entry in accounts payable. Once CBI receives the invoice for the PO, the receive invoice process is triggered. This allows the Pay supplier activity to begin. Before the post outgoing payment activity can be completed, the data from the PO, goods receipt, and invoice must all be correct (the three-way match). 7-7. What kinds of errors can Wally, Maria, and Ann make that are not captured by SAP? One example is that Wally might count 20 bottles and 30 cages but mistakenly enter 20 cages and 30 bottles. Describe a particularly harmful mistake that each can make and how the process could be changed to prevent that error. Wally could accidentally miss clicking OK for one of the products in the Goods Receipt Screen. Maria could select the wrong supplier for a particular material. Ann could select the wrong supplier to which to issue a payment. A particularly harmful mistake that Wally could make is to forget to create a good receipt altogether. To improve this process, augmented reality and RFID tags could be used to identify materials that have been shipped by the supplier but have yet to be entered into inventory at CBI. Maria could mistype a part number to be ordered. To prevent this, a check could be run to confirm that the part number ordered is below the minimum stock on hand. Ann could pay the wrong vendor. To prevent this, checks could be used to ensure that the vendor being paid has an unpaid invoice with CBI and that the amount of payment is less than or equal to the amount of the accounts payable for that particular vendor. 7-8. How does a pizza shop’s Procurement process differ from CBI’s? What do you believe is the corporate strategy of your favorite pizza franchise? What are the objectives and measures of its Procurement process to support this strategy? A pizza shop’s procurement process would need to be more efficient than CBI’s. Pizza shops carry perishable items on their inventory, which means inventory must be turned over quickly. Pizza shops also generally have narrow margins. This means that there is not as much room to carry excess inventory like CBI might be able to. Papa John’s, with over 3,500 locations, aims to provide better pizzas by using better ingredients. This can be particularly difficult due to the need for fresh vegetables. Because of this, the chain has local suppliers for each location. To support the strategy, Papa John’s should have relatively small amounts of raw materials on hand to make sure that the ingredients are fresh. This can be measured by the inventory turnover for each ingredient. Another measure is the response time by suppliers to provide the fresh ingredients. This can be measured by the order fulfillment time. 7-9. 3D printing has many benefits for businesses. Suggest three products that CBI might print instead of procure with traditional means and three that your university might print. Suggested answers for CBI: • Any plastic parts for its bicycles, ranging from wheel reflector shells to handle- bar plugs and from tire filler caps to water bottles and helmet shells.
  • 14.
    10 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. • Promotional materials such as key chains, custom signage for store display, etc. • With the right technology and printer cartridges, metal parts may be part of the process in the future. There are currently experiments with titanium printing that would allow the printing of high-end gears, derailleurs, etc. Suggested answers for a university: • Athletic equipment (think football, hockey, etc.). • Keys, most universities spend significant funds on key manufacture and control. • Soft and hard goods with the university seal/logo for sale in the bookstore and at events. Students will certainly have a plethora of suggestions. Which procurement objectives does 3D printing support? Procurement is primarily associated with inbound logistics. It is the process by which goods are ordered, received, stored, disseminated within the organization, and paid for. 3D printing affects ordering (to some extent), receipt, storage, and dissemination (depending upon where printing occurs relative to the ultimate user’s location). 7-10. Augmented reality will help employees find items in a warehouse, but this IS may also support many other processes. Name two and describe how AR will improve them. Use Google Glass as one example of using AR, and use another example of AR for your other process. AR could assist with navigation though a large facility to locate an individual or functional location. AR could also be used to help a person during a presentation by presenting context sensitive information viewable only by the presenter regardless of the presenter’s proximity to a computer (think Google Glass). In a more traditional sense, AR could present 3D images of complex designs to assist in product repair, virtual design interaction, etc. If AR is tied to GPS, which is certainly a reality, your smartphone can present an AR view of your current location to give you information about your surroundings, or possibly suggest possibilities for a sales call close to you, for example.
  • 15.
    11 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Collaboration Exercise 7 1. Figure 7-8 lists problems with the Procurement process at CBI. Which of these would apply to the university? Which would not? What are some procurement problems that might be unique to an athletics department? In the Accounting role, three-way match discrepancies and the lack of real time accounting data would apply at university. Purchasing agents could be spread across many departments and colleges. Internal controls could also be weak in the Purchasing role. The problems with finished goods inventory and raw materials inventory would not apply to the university. The athletics department, on the other hand, may face issues with procurement due to the need for a very specialized piece of athletic equipment that is only offered by a limited number of suppliers. An athletics department might also face issues with increased procurement costs because of low order volumes. It might be difficult to obtain economies of scale when there are only 25 hockey players who need hockey skates ordered for the season. 2. Figure 7-12 lists objectives and measures that the managers at CBI determined for the Procurement process. What objectives and measures would you suggest for the university? What objectives and measures would you expect the athletics director to suggest (do not use the objectives and measures from Chapter 6)? For the university, an objective should be to reduce inventory. Another objective could be to reduce costs. Measures for these objectives would be decreasing inventory costs from 25% of sales to 15% and to reduce product costs by 5%. The athletics department should use objectives like reduce cost and increase the volume of cross-selling. Measures could include reducing product costs by 10% and increasing cross-selling revenues by 25%. 3. Figure 7-28 lists the impacts of SAP on an organization. Which of these impacts would affect the athletics department? Of the four items listed, new skills needed and process focus would affect the athletics department. The department will need to train employees to be proficient with the supply chain management system, and to utilize employees’ abstract reasoning and analytical skills. The athletics department will also need to focus on processes. The inputs and outputs into the system will provide more data for the department’s customers and suppliers. 4. Chapter 1 explained four nonroutine cognitive skills: abstract reasoning, systems thinking, collaboration, and experimentation. Explain how implementing the new Procurement process at CBI will require each of these skills from the members of the SAP implementation team. Abstract reasoning is needed to create and manipulate the models for CBI’s processes. Ultimately, the process used by the employees and the process that the SAP software is designed to aid must be the same. It may require the human processes and computer processes to be tweaked in order to work together. Systems thinking will be needed in order to fully realize the benefits provided by SAP. The ERP system creates many inputs and outputs which can be used by the company to
  • 16.
    12 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. increase the efficiency of it processes and to increase its operating margins. It is up to the employees to realize how the data can be used. Collaboration is essential for a successful implementation. Employees from different areas of the company will need to work together toward a common goal for the investment in the system to be worthwhile. Experimentation is needed to pursue potential solutions to problems in the processes and to foster learning opportunities. Not every experiment will be successful; the opportunity comes in learning something from a failed experiment other than the knowledge that what was tried did not work.
  • 17.
    13 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Active Case 7: SAP PROCUREMENT TUTORIAL 7-11. Describe your first impressions of SAP. SAP can seem very large and daunting at first glance. Users may have feelings of confusion and even intimidation. Many textboxes create many opportunities for user error. However, while SAP may seem a little overwhelming, the system has many controls in place. Some of these controls include data validation (selecting vendors or products from a pre-populated list), and auto-completed fields, which prevent user inputs from being incorrectly entered.| 7-12. What types of skills are necessary to use this system? In order to use the SAP system, the user needs to possess analytical skills. The system produces many data points. SAP relies on the efficiency of underlying processes in order for businesses to gain the full benefit. The processes are designed and executed by those that use the system. 7-13. Create a screen capture of an SAP screen. Underneath the image, provide an answer to each of the following questions: The Post Outgoing Payments screen is used as an example. a. In which of the activities does this screen occur? The screen occurs in the Post Payment activity. b. What is the name of this screen? This screen is called the Post Outgoing Payments Header screen.
  • 18.
    14 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. c. What is the name of the screen that precedes it? What screen comes after it? The screen that precedes the Post Payment Header screen is the Outgoing Payment screen. The screen that follows the Post Payment Header screen is the Post Outgoing Payments process open items screen. d. What actor accomplishes this activity? The actor that accomplishes this activity is Ann from accounting. e. Describe an error that this actor may do on this screen that SAP will prevent. Without SAP, Ann could enter the wrong amount for payment. While SAP does not outright prevent this action, it does provide a check figure in the “Not assigned” box. If the value for the not assigned box is not zero, Ann will know that there is an error. 7-14. Make an informal diagram of the four main actors: Supplier (Composite Bikes), Purchasing (Maria), Warehouse (Wally), and Accounting (Ann). Draw arrows that show the data that flows among the actors during this process. Number the arrows and include on each arrow what data are included in the message. Case 7 Question 4 Supplier Purchasing Warehouse Accounting Phase Start 1. Purchase Requisition Request Receive Purchase Request Create Purchase Order Fill Purchase Order Create Goods Receipt Issue Payment 2. Required Material 3. PO information 4. Product 5. Invoicing Information Send Invoice 6. Invoice Receive Payment Create Account Payable 7. Receipt Confirmation 8. AP Information 9. Payment Data End
  • 19.
    15 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. 7-15. Using the same four main actors as in question 7-14, this time show with the arrows how the material (the water bottles and cages) moves. Case 7 Question 5 Supplier Purchasing Warehouse Accounting Phase Receive PO / Ship Order Receive Order / Create Goods Receipt Start End 1. Order Contents
  • 20.
    16 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. 7-16. One concern of a business is fraud. One fraud technique is to create suppliers who are not suppliers but are co-conspirators. The conspirator inside the business accepts invoices for nonexistent deliveries. For this fraud scheme to work, who at CBI has to take part? How can SAP processes decrease the chance of this type of fraud? For this scheme to be used, Wally, Maria, and Ann would all need to take part. Maria would play a central role as the purchasing manager because she would create both the fictitious vendor and the fraudulent purchase orders. Wally would also play a role in the warehouse by creating the goods receipt document. By creating the document, Wally would open up an account payable as well. In accounting, Ann would be CBI’s last line of defense. Ann would post the payment to the fictitious vendor, completing the fraud. SAP processes can decrease this type of fraud by splitting the various processes up between functional departments and actors within those departments. Access can be restricted so that no single individual could complete each step necessary for the fraud. By requiring more actors to take part, the likelihood of a coworker noticing something is amiss increases. Another measure that can be taken is to utilize an approved supplier list. This would allow purchase orders to only be placed to vendors who meet certain requirements. One possible requirement is to undergo a site visit by members of CBI’s management. 7-17. Select any of the main activities or subactivities in the Procurement process. The activity used in this example is Create Purchase Order. a. What event triggers this activity? The activity is triggered by the purchasing manager approving a purchase requisition. The purchase requisition may have been automatically generated by the stock levels of a particular product dropping below a predetermined point. The purchase requisition may have also been created for a product that CBI does not normally stock, but needs for a special order or even a new product line. b. What activity follows this activity? Following the Create Purchase Order activity is the Create Goods Receipt activity. c. For one data entry item for this activity, describe what would happen in the rest of the process if that entry was erroneous. One potential error would be ordering the wrong quantity of an item. This error can cause problems if not enough are ordered, creating a stock-out, or if too many are ordered, creating excess inventory. When the warehouse manager goes to create the goods receipt, the items will be added to the inventory. Once Ann receives the invoice for the order, a payment will be posted and CBI will not have the product quantity it needs.
  • 21.
    17 of 17 Copyright© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. d. For one data entry item for this activity, describe what limits (controls) you would put in place on the data to prevent the type of error described in item c. To prevent an error like the one described above, CBI could implement a reasonableness check for the create purchase order activity. For example, a maximum order quantity of 25 could be set for a common component like a popular road bike frame. On the other hand, the maximum order quantity might only be five for a less popular specialty product like a cyclocross bike frame. In the case of the road bike frame, this control would prevent 52 frames from being ordered. In the case of the cyclocross bike, the smaller maximum order quantity could prevent CBI from having a large quantity on-hand going into the off-peak season.
  • 22.
    Exploring the Varietyof Random Documents with Different Content
  • 23.
    with a slowmovement, as the Baroness had played a piece of execution. “For this purpose, she chose your favourite bit of Echard; and I never heard her play it better, if so well. Merlin’s new pedals made it exquisite; and the expression, feeling, and taste with which she performed it, raised a general murmur of applause. “Mr. Harris inquired eagerly the name of the composer. Every body seemed to be struck, nay enchanted: and charmed into such silence of attention, that if a pin had dropt, it would have caused a universal start. “I should be ashamed not to give you a more noble metaphor, or simile, or comparison, than a pin; only I know how cheap you hold all attempts at fine writing; and that you will like my poor simple pin, just as well as if I had stunned you with a cannon ball. “Miss Louisa Harris then consented to vary the entertainment by singing. She was accompanied by Mr. Harris, whose soul seems all music, though he has made his pen amass so many other subjects into the bargain. She has very little voice, either for sound or compass; yet, which is wonderful, she gave us all extreme pleasure; for she sings in so high a style, with such pure taste, such native feeling, and such acquired knowledge of music, that there is not one fine voice in a hundred I could listen to with equal satisfaction. She gave us an unpublished air of Sacchini’s, introduced by some noble recitative of that delicious composer. “She declared, however, she should have been less frightened to have sung at a theatre, than to such an audience. But she was prevailed with to give us, afterwards, a sweet flowing rondeau of Rauzzini’s, from his opera of Piramis and Thisbe. She is extremely unaffected and agreeable. “Then followed what my father called the great gun of the evening, Müthel’s duet for two harpsichords; which my father thinks the noblest composition of its kind in the world.
  • 24.
    “Mr. Burney andthe Hettina now came off with flying colours indeed; nothing could exceed the general approbation. Mr. Harris was in an ecstacy that played over all his fine features; Sir James Lake, who is taciturn and cold, was surprised even into loquacity in its praise; Lady Lake, more prone to be pleased, was delighted to rapture; the fine physiognomy of Miss Phipps, was lighted up to an animation quite enlivening to behold; and the sweet Baroness de Deiden, repeatedly protested she had never been at so singularly agreeable a concert before. “She would not listen to any entreaty, however, to play again; and all instrumental music was voted to be out of the question for that night. Miss Louisa Harris then, with great good breeding, as well as good nature, was won by a general call to give us a finale, in a fine bravura air of Sacchini’s, which she sung extremely well, though under evident and real affright. “There was then a good deal of chat, very gay and pleasing; after which the company went away, in all appearance, uncommonly gratified: and we who remained at home, were, in all reality, the same. “But how we wished for our dear Mr. Crisp! Do pray, now, leave your gout to itself, and come to our next music meeting. Or if it needs must cling to you, and come also, who knows but that music, which has “‘Charms to sooth the savage breast, To soften rocks, and bend a knotted oak—’ may have charms also, To soften Gout, and Unbend Knotted Fingers?” Previously to any further perusal of these juvenile narrations, it is necessary to premise, that there were, at this period, three of the
  • 25.
    most excelling singersthat ever exerted rival powers at the same epoch, who equally and earnestly sought the acquaintance and suffrage of Dr. Burney; namely, Miss Cecilia Davies, detta l’Inglesina, La Signora Agujari, detta la Bastardella, And the far-famed Signora Gabrielli. CECILIA DAVIES, DETTA L’INGLESINA. Miss Cecilia Davies, during a musical career, unfortunately as brief as it was splendid, had, at her own desire, been made known to Dr. Burney in a manner as peculiar as it was honourable, for it was through the medium of Dr. Johnson; a medium which ensured her the best services of Dr. Burney, and the esteem of all his family. Her fame and talents are proclaimed in the History of Music, where it is said, “Miss Davies had the honour of being the first English woman who performed the female parts in several great theatres in Italy; to which extraordinary distinction succeeded that of her becoming the first woman at the great opera theatre of London.” And in this course of rare celebrity, her unimpeachable conduct, her pleasing manners, and her engaging modesty of speech and deportment, fixed as much respect on her person and character, as her singularly youthful success had fastened upon her professional abilities. But, unfortunately, no particulars can be given of any private performance of this our indigenous brilliant ornament at the house of Dr. Burney; for though she was there welcomed, and was even eager to oblige him, the rigour of her opera articles prohibited her from singing even a note, at that time, to any private party.[4] The next abstract, therefore, refers to
  • 26.
    AGUJARI, DETTA LABASTARDELLA. “To Samuel Crisp, Esq. “My dear Mr. Crisp, “My father says I must write you every thing of every sort about Agujari, that you may get ready, well or ill, to come and hear her. So pray make haste, and never mind such common obstacles as health or sickness upon such an occasion. “La Signora Agujari has been nick-named, my father says, in Italy, from some misfortune attendant upon her birth—but of which she, at least, is innocent—La Bastardella. She is now come over to England, in the prime of her life and her fame, upon an engagement with the proprietors of the Pantheon, to sing two songs at their concert, at one hundred pounds a night! My father’s tour in Italy has made his name and his historical design so well known there in the musical world, that she immediately desired his acquaintance on her arrival in London; and Dr. Maty, one of her protectors in this country, was deputed to bring them together; which he did, in St. Martin’s- Street, last week. “Dr. Maty is pleasing, intelligent, and well bred; though formal, precise, and a rather affected little man. But he stands very high, they say, in the classes of literature and learning; and, moreover, of character and worthiness. He handed the Signora, with much pompous ceremony, into the drawing-room, where—trumpets not being at hand—he introduced her to my father with a fine flourish of compliments, as a phenomenon now first letting herself down to grace this pigmy island. This style of lofty grandeur seemed perfectly accordant with the style and fancy of the Signora; whose air and deportment
  • 27.
    announced deliberate dignity,and a design to strike all beholders with awe, as well as admiration. She is a handsome woman, of middle stature, and seems to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years of age; with a very good and healthy complexion, becomingly and not absurdly rouged; a well- shaped nose, a well-cut mouth, and very prominent, rolling, expressive, and dyingly languishing eyes. She was attended by Signor Colla, her maestro, and, as some assert, her husband; but, undoubtedly, her obsequious and inseparable companion. He is tall, thin, almost fiery when conversing; and tolerably well furnished with gesture and grimace; id est, made up of nothing else. The talk was all in French or Italian, and almost all between the two Doctors, Burney and Maty; we rest, being only auditors, except when something striking was said upon music, or upon some musician; and then the hot thin Italian, who is probably a Neapolitan, jumped up, and started forth into an abrupt rhapsody, with such agitation of voice and manner, that every limb seemed at work almost as nimbly as his tongue. But la Signora Agujari sat always in placid, majestic silence, when she was not personally addressed. Signor Colla expressed the most unbounded veneration for il Signor Dottore Borni; whose learned character, he said, in Italy, had left him there a name that had made it an honour to be introduced to un si célebre homme. My father retorted the compliment upon the Agujari; lamenting that he had missed hearing her abroad, where her talents, then, were but rising into renown. Nevertheless, though he naturally concluded that this visit was designed for granting him that gratification, he was somewhat diffident how to demand it from one who, in England, never quavers for less than fifty guineas an air. To pave, therefore, the way to his request, he called upon Mr. Burney and the Hettina to open the concert with a duet.
  • 28.
    They readily complied;and the Agujari, now, relinquished a part of her stately solemnity, to give way, though not without palpably marvelling that it could be called for, to the pleasure that their performance excited; for pleasure in music is a sensation that she seems to think ought to be held in her own gift. And, indeed, for vocal music, Gabrielli is, avowedly, the only exception to her universal disdain. As Mr. Burney and the Hettina, however, attempted not to invade her excluding prerogative, they first escaped her supercilious contempt, and next caught her astonished attention; which soon, to our no small satisfaction, rose to open, lively, and even vociferous rapture. In truth, I believe, she was really glad to be surprised out of her fatiguing dumb grandeur. This was a moment not to be lost, and my father hinted his wishes to Dr. Maty; Dr. Maty hinted them to Signor Colla; but Signor Colla did not take the hint of hinting them to La Bastardella. He shrugged, and became all gesticulation, and answered that the Signora would undoubtedly sing to the Signor Dottore Borni; but that, at this moment, she had a slight sore throat; and her desire, when she performed to il Signor Dottore Borni was, si possible, he added, to surpass herself. We were all horribly disappointed; but Signor Colla made what amends he could, by assuring us that we had never yet known what singing was! “car c’est une prodêge, Messieurs et Mesdames, que la Signora Agujari.” My father bowed his acquiescence; and then enquired whether she had been at the opera? “‘O no;’ Signor Colla answered; ‘she was too much afraid of that complaint which all her countrymen who travelled to England had so long lamented, and which the English call catch-cold, to venture to a theatre.’ “Agujari then condescended to inquire whether il Signor Dottore had heard the Gabrielli?
  • 29.
    “‘Not yet,’ hereplied; ‘he waited her coming to England. He had missed her in Italy, from her having passed that year in Sicily.’ “‘Ah Diable!’ exclaimed the Bastardini, ‘mais c’est dommage!’ “This familiar ‘Diable!’ from such majestic loftiness, had a very droll effect. “‘Et vous, Signora, l’avez-vous entendue?’ “‘O que non!’ answered she, quite bluffly; ‘cela n’est pas possible!’ “And we were alarmed to observe that she looked highly affronted; though we could not possibly conjecture why, till Signor Colla, in a whisper, represented the error of the inquiry, by saying, that two first singers could never meet. “‘True!’ Dr. Maty cried; ‘two suns never light us at once.’ “The Signora, to whom this was repeated in Italian, presently recovered her placid dignity by the blaze of these two suns; and, before she went away, was in such perfect amity with il Signor Dottore, that she voluntarily declared she would come again, when her sore throat was over, and chanter comme il faut.” CONCERT.—EXTRACT THE THIRD. “My dear Mr. Crisp, “My father, now, bids me write for him—which I do with joy and pride, for now, now,thus instigated, thus authorised, let me present to you the triumphant, the unique Agujari! “O how we all wished for you when she broke forth in her vocal glory! The great singers of olden times, whom I have heard you so emphatically describe, seem to have all their talents revived in this wonderful creature. I could compare her to nothing I have ever
  • 30.
    heard, but onlyto what you have heard; your Carestini, Farinelli, Senesino, alone are worthy to be ranked with the Bastardini. “She came with the Signor Maestro Colla, very early, to tea. “I cannot deign to mention our party,—but it was small and good:— though by no means bright enough to be enumerated in the same page with Agujari. “She frightened us a little, at first, by complaining of a cold. How we looked at one another! Mr. Burney was called upon to begin; which he did with even more than his usual spirit; and then—without waiting for a petition—which nobody, not even my dear father, had yet gathered courage to make, Agujari, the Bastardella, arose, voluntarily arose, to sing! “We all rose too! we seemed all ear. There was no occasion for any other part to our persons. Had a fan,—for I won’t again give you a pin,—fallen, I suppose we should have taken it for at least a thunder-clap. All was hushed and rapt attention. “Signor Colla accompanied her. She began with what she called a little minuet of his composition. “Her cold was not affected, for her voice, at first, was not quite clear; but she acquitted herself charmingly. And, little as she called this minuet, it contained difficulties which I firmly believe no other singer in the world could have executed. “But her great talents, and our great astonishment, were reserved for her second song, which was taken from Metastatio’s opera of Didone, set by Colla, ‘Non hai ragione, ingrato!’ “As this was an aria parlante, she first, in a voice softly melodious, read us the words, that we might comprehend what she had to express. “It is nobly set; nobly! ‘Bravo, il Signor Maestro!’ cried my father, two or three times. She began with a fullness and power of voice that amazed us beyond all our possible expectations. She then lowered it
  • 31.
    to the mostexpressive softness—in short, my dear Mr. Crisp, she was sublime! I can use no other word without degrading her. “This, and a second great song from the same opera, Son Regina, and Son Amante, she sang in a style to which my ears have hitherto been strangers. She unites, to her surprising and incomparable powers of execution, and luxuriant facility and compass of voice, an expression still more delicate—and, I had almost said, equally feeling with that of my darling Millico, who first opened my sensations to the melting and boundless delights of vocal melody.[6] In fact, in Millico, it was his own sensibility that excited that of his hearers; it was so genuine, so touching! It seemed never to want any spur from admiration, but always to owe its excellence to its own resistless pathos. “Yet, with all its vast compass, and these stupendous sonorous sounds, the voice of Agujari has a mellowness, a sweetness, that are quite vanquishing. One can hardly help falling at her feet while one listens! Her shake, too, is so plump, so true, so open! and, to display her various abilities to my father, she sang in twenty styles—if twenty there may be; for nothing is beyond her reach. In songs of execution, her divisions were so rapid, and so brilliant, they almost made one dizzy from breathless admiration: her cantabiles were so fine, so rich, so moving, that we could hardly keep the tears from our eyes. Then she gave us some accompanied recitative, with a nobleness of accent, that made every one of us stand erect out of respect! Then, how fascinately she condescended to indulge us with a rondeau! though she holds that simplicity of melody beneath her; and therefore rose from it to chaunt some church music, of the Pope’s Chapel, in a style so nobly simple, so grandly unadorned, that it penetrated to the inmost sense. She is just what she will: she has the highest taste, with an expression the most pathetic; and she executes difficulties the most wild, the most varied, the most incredible, with just as much ease and facility as I can say—my dear Mr. Crisp!
  • 32.
    “Now don’t youdie to come and hear her? I hope you do. O, she is indescribable! “Assure yourself my father joins in all this, though perhaps, if he had time to write for himself, he might do it more Lady Grace like, ‘soberly.’ I hope she will fill up at least half a volume of his history. I wish he would call her, The Heroine of Music! “We could not help regretting that her engagement was at the Pantheon, as her evidently fine ideas of acting are thrown away at a mere concert. At this, she made faces of such scorn and derision against the managers, for not putting her upon the stage, that they altered her handsome countenance almost to ugliness; and, snatching up a music book, and opening it, and holding it full broad in her hands, she dropt a formal courtesy, to take herself off at the Pantheon, and said; ‘Oui! j’y suis là comme une statue! comme une petite ecolière!’ And afterwards she contemptuously added: ‘Mais, on n’aime e guerre ici que les rondeaux!—Moi—j’abhorre ces miseres là!’ One objection, however, and a rather serious one, against her walking the stage, is that she limps. Do you know what they assert to be the cause of this lameness? It is said that, while a mere baby, and at nurse in the country, she was left rolling on the grass one evening, till she rolled herself round and round to a pigstie; where a hideous hog welcomed her as a delicious repast, and mangled one side of the poor infant most cruelly, before she was missed and rescued. She was recovered with great difficulty; but obliged to bear the insertion of a plate of silver, to sustain the parts where the terrible swine had made a chasm; and thence she has been called ... I forget the Italian name, but that which has been adopted here is Silver-sides. “You may imagine that the wags of the day do not let such a circumstance, belonging to so famous a person, pass unmadrigalled: Foote, my father tells us, has declared he shall impeach the custom- house officers, for letting her be smuggled into the kingdom contrary
  • 33.
    to law; unlessher sides have been entered at the stamp office. And Lord Sandwich has made a catch, in dialogue and in Italian, between the infant and the hog, where the former, in a plaintive tone of soliciting mercy, cries; ‘Caro mio Porco!’ The hog answers by a grunt. Her piteous entreaty is renewed in the softest, tenderest treble. His sole reply is expressed in one long note of the lowest, deepest bass. Some of her highest notes are then ludicrously imitated to vocalize little shrieks; and the hog, in finale, grunts out, ‘Ah! che bel mangiar!’ “Lord Sandwich, who shewed this to my father, had, at least, the grace to say, that he would not have it printed, lest it should get to her knowledge, till after her return to Italy.” The radical and scientific merits of this singular personage, and astonishing performer, are fully expounded in the History of Music. She left England with great contempt for the land of Rondeaux; and never desired to visit it again. LA GABRIELLI. Of the person and performance of Gabrielli, the History of Music contains a full and luminous description. She was the most universally renowned singer of her time; for Agujari died before her high and unexampled talents had expanded their truly wonderful supremacy. Yet here, also, no private detail can be written of the private performance, or manners, of La Gabrielli, as she never visited at the house of Dr. Burney; though she most courteously invited him to her own; in which she received him with flattering distinction. And, as she had the judgment to set aside, upon his visits, the airs, caprices, coquetries, and gay insolences, of which the boundless report had preceded her arrival in England, he found her a high-bred, accomplished, and engaging woman of the world; or rather, he said,
  • 34.
    woman of fashion;for there was a winning ease, nay, captivation, in her look and air, that could scarcely, in any circle, be surpassed. Her great celebrity, however, for beauty and eccentricity, as well as for professional excellence, had raised such inordinate expectations before she came out, that the following juvenile letters upon the appearance of so extraordinary a musical personage, will be curious, —or, at least, diverting, to lovers of musical anecdote. CONCERT.—EXTRACT IV. To Samuel Crisp, Esq. Chesington. October, 1775. “My dear Mr. Crisp, “‘Tis so long since I have written, that I suppose you conclude we are all gone fortune-hunting to some other planet; but, to skip apologies, which I know you scoff, I shall atone for my silence, by telling you that my dear father returned from Buxton in quite restored health, I thank God! and that his first volume is now rough- sketched quite to the end, Preface and Dedication inclusive. “But you are vehement, you say, to hear of Gabrielli. “Well, so is every body else; but she has not yet sung. “She is the subject of inquiry and discussion wherever you go. Every one expects her to sing like a thousand angels, yet to be as ridiculous as a thousand imps. But I believe she purposes to astonish them all in a new way; for imagine how sober and how English she means to become, when I tell you that she has taken a house in Golden-square, and put a plate upon her door, on which she has had engraven, “Mrs. Gabrielli.” “If John Bull is not flattered by that, he must be John Bear.
  • 35.
    “Rauzzini, meanwhile, whois to be the first serious singer, has taken precisely the other side; and will have nothing to do with his Johnship at all; for he has had his apartments painted a beautiful rose-colour, with a light myrtle sprig border; and has ornamented them with little knic-knacs and trinkets, like a fine lady’s dressing- room. My father dined with them both the other day, at the manager’s, Mrs. Brookes, the author, and Mrs. Yates, the ci-devant actress. Rauzzini sang a great many sweet airs, and very delightfully; but Gabrielli not a note! Neither did any one presume to ask for such a favour. Her sister was of the party also, who they say cannot sing at all; but Gabrielli insisted upon having her engaged, and advantageously, or refused, peremptorily, to come over. “Nothing can exceed the impatience of people of all ranks, and all ways of thinking, concerning this so celebrated singer. And if you do not come to town to hear her, I shall conclude you lost to all the Saint Cecilian powers of attraction; and that you are become as indifferent to music, as to dancing or to horse-racing. For my own part, if any thing should unfortunately prevent my hearing her first performance, I shall set it down in my memory ever after, as a very serious misfortune. Don’t laugh so, dear daddy, pray! Written the week following. “How I rejoice, for once, in your hard-heartedness! how ashamed I should have been if you had come, dearest Sir, to my call! The Gabrielli did not sing! And she let all London, and all the country too, I believe, arrive at the theatre before it was proclaimed that she was not to appear! Every one of our family, and of every other family that I know,—and that I don’t know besides, were at the Opera House at an early hour. We, who were to enter at a private door, per favour of Mrs. Brookes, rushed past all handbills, not thinking them worth heeding. Poor Mr. Yates, the manager, kept running from one outlet to another, to relate the sudden desperate hoarseness of la
  • 36.
    Signora Gabrielli; and,supplicate patience, and, moreover, credence, —now from the box openings, now from the pit, now from the galleries. Had he been less active, or less humble, it is thought the theatre would have been pulled down; so prodigious was the rage of the large assemblage; none of them in the least believing that Gabrielli had the slightest thing the matter with her. “My father says people do not think that singers have the capacity of having such a thing as a cold! “The murmurs, ‘What a shame!’—‘how scandalous!’—‘what insolent airs!’—kept Mr. Yates upon the alert from post to post, to the utmost stretch of his ability; though his dolorous countenance painted his full conviction that he himself was the most seriously to be pitied of the party; for it was clear that he said, in soliloquy, upon every one that he sent away: ‘There goes half a guinea!—or, at the least, three shillings,—if not five, out of my pocket!’ “We all returned home in horrible ill-humour; but solacing ourselves with a candid determination, taken in a true spirit of liberality, that though she should sing even better than Agujari, we would not like her! My father called upon the managers to know what all this meant; and Mrs. Brookes then told him, that all that had been reported of the extraordinary wilfulness of this spoilt child of talent and beauty, was exceeded by her behaviour. She only sent them word that she was out of voice, and could not sing, one hour before the house must be opened! They instantly hurried to her to expostulate, or rather to supplicate, for they dare neither reproach nor command; and to represent the utter impossibility of getting up any other opera so late; and to acknowledge their terror, even for their property, upon the fury of an English audience, if disappointed so bluffly at the last moment. To this she answered very coolly, but with smiles and politeness, that if le monde expected her so eagerly, she would dress herself, and let the opera be performed; only, when her songs came to their
  • 37.
    symphony, instead ofsinging, she would make a courtesy, and point to her throat. “‘You may imagine, Doctor,’ said Mrs. Brookes, ‘whether we could trust John Bull with so easy a lady! and at the very instant his ears were opening to hear her so vaunted performance!’ “Well, my dear Mr. Crisp, now for Saturday, and now for the real opera. We all went again. There was a prodigious house; such a one, for fashion at least, as, before Christmas, never yet was seen. For though every body was afraid there would be a riot, and that Gabrielli would be furiously hissed, from the spleen of the late disappointment, nobody could stay away; for her whims and eccentricities only heighten curiosity for beholding her person. “The opera was Metastasio’s Didone, and the part for Gabrielli was new set by Sacchini. “In the first scene, Rauzzini and Sestini appeared with la Signora Francesca, the sister of Gabrielli. They prepared us for the approach of the blazing comet that burst forth in the second. “Nothing could be more noble than her entrance. It seemed instantaneously to triumph over her enemies, and conquer her threateners. The stage was open to its furthest limits, and she was discerned at its most distant point; and, for a minute or two, there dauntlessly she stood; and then took a sweep, with a firm, but accelerating step; and a deep, finely flowing train, till she reached the orchestra. There she stopt, amidst peals of applause, that seemed as if they would have shaken the foundations of the theatre. “What think you now of John Bull? “I had quite quivered for her, in expectation of cat-calling and hissings; but the intrepidity of her appearance and approach, quashed all his resentment into surprised admiration.
  • 38.
    “She is stillvery pretty, though not still very young. She has small, intelligent, sparkling features; and though she is rather short, she is charmingly proportioned, and has a very engaging figure. All her notions are graceful, her air is full of dignity, and her walk is majestic. “Though the applause was so violent, she seemed to think it so simply her due, that she deigned not to honour it with the slightest mark of acknowledgment, but calmly began her song. “John Bull, however, enchained, as I believe, by the reported vagaries of her character, and by the high delight he expected from her talents, clapped on,—clap, clap, clap!—with such assiduous noise, that not a note could be heard, nor a notion be started that any note was sung. Unwilling, then, “To waste her sweetness on the clamorous air,” and perhaps growing a little gratified to find she could “soothe the savage breast,” she condescended to make an Italian courtesy, i.e. a slight, but dignified bow. “Honest John, who had thought she would not accept his homage, but who, through the most abrupt turn from resentment to admiration, had resolved to bear with all her freaks, was so enchanted by this affability, that clapping he went on, till, I have little doubt, the skin of his battered hands went off; determining to gain another gentle salutation whether she would or not, as an august sign that she was not displeased with him for being so smitten, and so humble. “After this, he suffered the orchestra to be heard. “Gabrielli, however, was not flattered into spoiling her flatterers. Probably she liked the spoiling too well to make it over to them. Be that as it may, she still kept expectation on the rack, by giving us only recitative, till every other performer had tired our reluctant attention.
  • 39.
    “At length, however,came the grand bravura, ‘Son Regina, e sono Amante.’ “Here I must stop!—Ah, Mr. Crisp! why would she take words that had been sung by Agujari? “Opinions are so different, you must come and judge for yourself. Praise and censure are bandied backwards and forwards, as if they were two shuttlecocks between two battledores. The Son Regina was the only air of consequence that she even attempted; all else were but bits; pretty enough, but of no force or character for a great singer. “How unfortunate that she should take the words, even though to other music, that we had heard from Agujari!—Oh! She is no Agujari! “In short, and to come to the truth, she disappointed us all egregiously. However, my dear father, who beyond any body tempers his judgment with indulgence, pronounces her a very capital singer. “But she visibly took no pains to exert herself, and appeared so impertinently easy, that I believe she thought it condescension enough for us poor savage Islanders to see her stand upon the stage, and let us look at her. Yet it must at least be owned, that the tone of her voice, though feeble, is remarkably sweet; that her action is judicious and graceful, and that her style and manner of singing are masterly.” CONCERT.—EXTRACT V. “You reproach me, my dear Mr. Crisp, for not sending you an account of our last two concerts. But the fact is, I have not any thing new to tell you. The music has always been the same: the
  • 40.
    matrimonial duets areso much à-la-mode, that no other thing in our house is now demanded. “But if I can write you nothing new about music—you want, I well know you will say, to hear some conversations. “My dear Mr. Crisp, there is, at this moment, no such thing as conversation. There is only one question asked, meet whom you may, namely; ‘How do you like Gabrielli?’ and only two modes, contradictory to be sure, but very steady, of reply: either, ‘Of all things upon earth!’ or, ‘Not the least bit in the whole world!’ “Well, now I will present you with a specimen, beginning with our last concert but one, and arranging the persons of the drama in the order of their actual appearance. “But imprimis, I should tell you, that the motive to this concert was a particular request to my father from Dr. King, our old friend, and the chaplain to the British—something—at St. Petersburgh, that he would give a little music to a certain mighty personage, who, somehow or other how, must needs take, transiently at least, a front place in future history,—namely, the famed favourite of the Empress Catherine of Russia, Prince Orloff. “There, my dear Mr. Crisp! what say you to seeing such a doughty personage as that in a private house, at a private party, of a private individual, fresh imported from the Czarina of all the Russias,—to sip a cup of tea in St. Martin’s-Street? “I wonder whether future historians will happen to mention this circumstance? I am thinking of sending it to all the keepers of records. “But I see your rising eyebrow at this name—your start—your disgust—yet big curiosity. “Well, suppose the family assembled, its honoured chief in the midst —and Tat, tat, tat, tat, at the door. Enter Dr. Ogle, Dean of Winchester.
  • 41.
    “Dr. Burney, afterthe usual ceremonies.—‘Did you hear the Gabrielli last night, Mr. Dean?’ “The Dean.—‘No, Doctor, I made the attempt, but soon retreated; for I hate a crowd,—as much as the ladies love it!—I beg pardon!’ bowing with a sort of civil sneer at we Fair Sex. “My mother was entering upon a spirited defence, when—Tat, tat, tat. Enter Dr. King. “He brought the compliments of Prince Orloff, with his Highness’s apologies for being so late, but he was obliged to dine at Lord Buckingham’s, and thence, to shew himself at Lady Harrington’s. “As nobody thought of inquiring into Dr. King’s opinion of La Gabrielli, conversation was at a stand, till—Tat, tat, tat, tat, too, and “Enter Lady Edgcumbe. “We were all introduced to her, and she was very chatty, courteous, and entertaining. “Dr. Burney.—‘Your Ladyship was certainly at the Opera last night?’ “Lady Edgcumbe.—‘O yes!—but I have not heard the Gabrielli! I cannot allow that I have yet heard her.’ “Dr. Burney.—‘Your Ladyship expected a more powerful voice?’ “Lady Edgcumbe.—‘Why n-o—not much. The shadow can tell what the substance must be; but she cannot have acquired this great reputation throughout Europe for nothing. I therefore repeat that I have not yet heard her. She must have had a cold.—But, for me—I have heard Mingotti!—I have heard Montecelli!—I have heard Mansuoli!—and I shall never hear them again!’ “The Dean.—‘But, Lady Edgcumbe, may not Gabrielli have great powers, and yet have too weak a voice for so large a theatre?’
  • 42.
    “Lady Edgcumbe.—‘Our theatre,Mr. Dean, is of no size to what she has been accustomed to abroad. But,—Dr. Burney, I have also heard the Agujari!’ “Hettina, Fanny, Susanna.—‘Oh! Agujari!’ (All three speaking with clasped hands.) “Dr. Burney (laughing).—‘Your ladyship darts into all their hearts by naming Agujari! However, I have hopes you will hear her again.’ “Lady Edgcumbe.—‘O, Dr. Burney! bring her but to the Opera,—and I shall grow crazy!’ “I assure you, my dear Mr. Crisp, we all longed to embrace her ladyship. And she met our sympathy with a good-humour full of pleasure. My father added, that we all doated upon Agujari. “Lady Edgcumbe.—‘O! she is incomparable!—Mark but the difference, Dr. Burney; by Gabrielli, Rauzzini seems to have a great voice;—by Agujari, he seemed to have that of a child.’— “Tat, tat, tat, tat, too. “Enter The Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Brudenel. “Mr. Brudenell,[7] commonly called ‘His Honour,’ from high birth, I suppose, without title, or from some quaint old cause that nobody knows who has let me into its secret, is tall and stiff, and strongly in the ton of the present day; which is anything rather than macaroniism; for it consists of unbounded freedom and ease, with a short, abrupt, dry manner of speech; and in taking the liberty to ask any question that occurs upon other people’s affairs and opinions; even upon their incomes and expences;—nay, even upon their age! “Did you ever hear of any thing so shocking? “I do not much mind it now; but, when I grow older, I intend recommending to have this part of their code abolished. “Mrs. Brudenel is very obliging and pleasing; and of as great fame as a lady singer, as Lady Edgcumbe is as a first rate lady player.
  • 43.
    “The usual questionbeing asked of La Gabrielli; “_Mrs. Brudenel._—‘O, Lady Edgcumbe and I are entirely of the same opinion; we agree that we have not yet heard her.’ “_Lady Edgcumbe._—‘The ceremony of her quitting the theatre after the opera is over, is extremely curious. First goes a man in livery to clear the way; then follows the sister; then the Gabrielli herself. Then, a little foot-page, to bear her train; and, lastly, another man, who carries her muff, in which is her lap-dog.’ “Mr. Brudenel.—‘But where is Lord March all this time?’ “Lady Edgcumbe (laughing).—‘Lord March? O,——he, you know, is First Lord of the Bedchamber!’— “Tat, tat, tat, tat. “Enter M. le Baron de Demidoff. “He is a Russian nobleman, who travels with Prince Orloff; and he preceded his Highness with fresh apologies, and a desire that the concert might not wait, as he would only shew himself at Lady Harrington’s, and hasten hither. “My father then attended Lady Edgcumbe to the Library, and Mr. Burney took his place at the harpsichord. “We all followed. He was extremely admired; but I have nothing new to tell you upon that subject. “Then enter Mr. Chamier. Then followed several others; and then “Enter Mr. Harris, of Salisbury. “Susan and I quite delighted in his sight, he is so amiable to talk with, and so benevolent to look at. Lady Edgcumbe rose to meet him, saying he was her particular old friend. He then placed himself by Susan and me, and renewed acquaintance in the most pleasing manner possible. I told him we were all afraid he would be tired to death of so much of one thing, for we had nothing to offer him but
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    again the duet.‘That is the very reason I solicited to come,’ he answered; ‘I was so much charmed the last time, that I begged Dr. Burney to give me a repetition of the same pleasure.’ “‘Then—of course, the opera? The Gabrielli?’ “Mr. Harris declared himself her partizan. “Lady Edgcumbe warmed up ardently for Agajari. “Mr. Dean.—‘But pray, Dr. Burney, why should not these two melodious signoras sing together, that we might judge them fairly?’ “Dr. Burney.—‘Oh! the rivalry would be too strong. It would create a musical war. It would be Cæsar and Pompey.’ “Lady Edgcumbe.—‘Pompey the Little, then, I am sure would be la Gabrielli!’ “Enter Lord Bruce. “He is a younger brother not only of the Duke of Montagu, but of his Honour Brudenel. How the titles came to be so awkwardly arranged in this family is no affair of mine; so you will excuse my sending you to the Herald’s Office, if you want that information, my dear Mr. Crisp; though as you are one of the rare personages who are skilled in every thing yourself,—at least so says my father;—and he is a Doctor, you know!—I dare say you will genealogize the matter to me at once, when next I come to dear Chesington. “He is tall, thin, and plain, but remarkably sensible, agreeable, and polite; as, I believe, are very generally all those keen looking Scotchmen; for Scotch, not from his accent, but his name, I conclude him of course. Can Bruce be other than Scotch? They are far more entertaining, I think, as well as informing, taken in the common run, than we silentious English; who, taken en masse, are tolerably dull. “The Opera?—the Gabrielli?—were now again brought forward. Lady Edgcumbe, who is delightfully music mad, was so animated, that she
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    was quite thelife of the company. “At length—Tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, too! “Enter His Highness Prince Orloff. “Have you heard the dreadful story of the thumb, by which this terrible Prince is said to have throttled the late Emperor of Russia, Peter, by suddenly pressing his windpipe while he was drinking? I hope it is not true; and Dr. King, of whom, while he resided in Russia, Prince Orloff was the patron, denies the charge. Nevertheless, it is so currently reported, that neither Susan nor I could keep it one moment from our thoughts; and we both shrunk from him with secret horror, heartily wishing him in his own Black Sea. “His sight, however, produced a strong sensation, both in those who believed, and those who discredited this disgusting barbarity; for another story, not perhaps, of less real, though of less sanguinary guilt, is not a tale of rumour, but a crime of certainty; namely, that he is the first favourite of the cruel inhuman Empress—if it be true that she connived at this horrible murder. “His Highness was immediately preceded by another Russian nobleman, whose name I have forgot; and followed by a noble Hessian, General Bawr. “Prince Orloff is of stupendous stature, something resembling Mr. Bruce. He is handsome, tall, fat, upright, magnificent. His dress was superb. Besides the blue garter, he had a star of diamonds of prodigious brilliancy, a shoulder knot of the same lustre and value, and a picture of the Empress hung about his neck, set round with diamonds of such brightness and magnitude, that, when near the light, they were too dazzling for the eye. His jewels, Dr. King says, are estimated at one hundred thousand pounds sterling. “His air and address are shewy, striking, and assiduously courteous. He had a look that frequently seemed to say, ‘I hope you observe that I come from a polished court?—I hope you take note that I am
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    no Cossack?’—Yet, withall this display of commanding affability, he seems, from his native taste and humour, ‘agreeably addicted to pleasantry.’ He speaks very little English, but knows French perfectly. “His introduction to my father, in which Dr. King pompously figured, passed in the drawing-room. The library was so crowded, that he could only show himself at the door, which was barely high enough not to discompose his prodigious toupee. “He bowed to Mr. Chamier, then my next neighbour, whom he had somewhere met; but I was so impressed by the shocking rumours of his horrible actions, that involuntarily I drew back even from a bow of vicinity; murmuring to Mr. Chamier, ‘He looks so potent and mighty, I do not like to be near him!’ “‘He has been less unfortunate,’ answered Mr. Chamier, archly, ‘elsewhere; such objection has not been made to him by all ladies!’ “Lord Bruce, who knew, immediately rose to make way for him, and moved to another end of the room. The Prince instantly held out his vast hand, in which, if he had also held a cambric handkerchief, it must have looked like a white flag on the top of a mast,—so much higher than the most tip-top height of every head in the room was his spread out arm, as he exclaimed, ‘Ah! mi lord me fuit!’ “His Honour, then, rising also, with a profound reverence, offered his seat to his Highness; but he positively refused to accept it, and declared, that if Mr. Brudenel would not be seated, he would himself retire; and seeing Mr. Brudenel demur, still begging his Highness to take the chair, he cried with a laugh, but very peremptorily, ‘Non, non, Monsieur! Je ne le veux pas! Je suis opiniatre, moi;—un peu comme Messieurs les Anglais!’ “Mr. Brudenel then re-seated himself: and the corner of a form appearing to be vacant, from the pains taken by poor Susan to shrink away from Mr. Orloff, his Highness suddenly dropped down upon it his immense weight, with a force—notwithstanding a palpable and studied endeavour to avoid doing mischief—that threatened his gigantic person with plumping upon the floor; and
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    terrified all onthe opposite side of the form with the danger of visiting the ceiling. “Perceiving Susan strive, though vainly, from want of space, to glide further off from him, and struck, perhaps, by her sweet countenance, ‘Ah, ha!’ he cried, ‘Je tiens ici, Je vois, une petite Prisonnière?!’ “Charlotte, blooming like a budding little Hebe, actually stole into a corner, from affright at the whispered history of his thumb ferocity. “Mr. Chamier, who now probably had developed what passed in my mind, contrived, very comically, to disclose his similar sentiment; for, making a quiet way to my ear, he said, in a low voice, ‘I wish Dr. Burney had invited Omiah here tonight, instead of Prince Orloff!’ Meaning, no doubt, of the two exotics, he should have preferred the most innocent! “The grand duet of Müthel was now called for, and played. But I can tell you nothing extra of the admiration it excited. Your Hettina looked remarkably pretty; and, added to the applause given to the music, every body had something to observe upon the singularity of the performers being husband and wife. Prince Orloff was witty quite to facetiousness; sarcastically marking something beyond what he said, by a certain ogling, half cynical, half amorous, cast of his eyes; and declaring he should take care to initiate all the foreign academies of natural philosophy, in the secret of the harmony that might be produced by such nuptial concord. “The Russian nobleman who accompanied Prince Orloff, and who knew English, they told us, so well that he was the best interpreter for his Highness in his visits, gave us now a specimen of his proficiency; for, clapping his fore finger upon a superfine snuffbox, he exclaimed, when the duet was finished, ‘Ma foi, dis is so pretty as never I hear in my life!’ “General Bawr, also, to whom Mr. Harris directed my attention, was greatly charmed. He is tall, and of stern and martial aspect. ‘He is a man,’ said Mr. Harris, ‘to be looked at, from his courage, conduct,
  • 48.
    and success duringthe last Russian war; when, though a Hessian by birth, he was a Lieutenant General in the service of the Empress of Russia; and obtained the two military stars, which you now see him wear on each side, by his valour.’ “But the rapture of Lady Edgcumbe was more lively than that of any other. ‘Oh, Doctor Burney,’ she cried, ‘you have set me a madding! I would willingly practice night and day to be able to perform in such a manner. I vow I would rather hear that extraordinary duet played in that extraordinary manner, than twenty operas!’ “Her ladyship was now introduced to Prince Orloff, whom she had not happened to meet with before; and they struck up a most violent flirtation together. She invited him to her house, and begged leave to send him a card. He accepted the invitation, but begged leave to fetch the card in person. She should be most happy, she said, to receive him, for though she had but a small house, she had a great ambition. And so they went on, in gallant courtesie, till, once again, the question was brought back of the opera, and the Gabrielli. “The Prince declared that she had not by any means sang as well as at St. Petersburgh; and General Bawr protested that, had he shut his eyes, he should not again have known her. “Then followed, to vary the entertainment, singing by Mrs. Brudenel. “Prince Orloff inquired very particularly of Dr. King, who we four young female Burneys were; for we were all dressed alike, on account of our mourning; and when Dr. King answered, ‘Dr. Burney’s daughters;’ she was quite astonished; for he had not thought our dear father, he said, more than thirty years of age; if so much. “Mr. Harris, in a whisper, told me he wished some of the ladies would desire to see the miniature of the Empress a little nearer; the monstrous height of the Prince putting it quite out of view to his old eyes and short figure; and being a man, he could not, he said, presume to ask such an indulgence as that of holding it in his own hands.
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    “Delighted to doany thing for this excellent Mr. Harris, and quite at my ease with poor prosing Dr. King, I told him the wish of Mr. Harris. “Dr. King whispered the desire to M. de Demidoff; M. de Demidoff did the same to General de Bawr; and General de Bawr dauntlessly made the petition to the Prince, in the name of The Ladies. “The Prince laughed, rather sardonically; yet with ready good- humour complied; telling the General, pretty much sans ceremonie, to untie the ribbon round his neck, and give the picture into the possession of The Ladies. “He was very gallant and debonnaire upon the occasion, entreating they would by no means hurry themselves; yet his smile, as his eye sharply followed the progress, from hand to hand, of the miniature, had a suspicious cast of investigating whether it would be worth his while to ask any favour of them in return! and through all the superb magnificence of his display of courtly manners, a little bit of the Cossack, methought, broke out, when he desired to know whether The Ladies wished for any thing else? declaring, with a smiling bow, and rolling, languishing, yet half contemptuous eyes, that, if The Ladies would issue their commands, they should strip him entirely! “You may suppose, after that, nobody asked for a closer view of any more of his ornaments! The good, yet unaffectedly humorous philosopher of Salisbury, could not help laughing, even while actually blushing at it, that his own curiosity should have involved The Ladies in this supercilious sort of sarcastic homage. “There was hardly any looking at the picture of the Empress for the glare of the diamonds. One of them, I really believe, was as big as a nutmeg: though I am somewhat ashamed to undignify my subject by so culinary a comparison. “When we were all satisfied, the miniature was restored by General Bawr to the Prince, who took it with stately complacency; condescendingly making a smiling bow to each fair female who had had possession of it; and receiving from her in return a lowly courtesy.
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    “Mr. Harris, whowas the most curious to see the Empress, because his son, Sir James, [8] was, or is intended to be, minister at her court, had slyly looked over every shoulder that held her; but would not venture, he archly whispered, to take the picture in his own hands, lest he should be included, by the Prince, amongst The Ladies, as an old woman! “Have you had enough of this concert, my dear Mr. Crisp? I have given it in detail, for the humour of letting you see how absorbing of the public voice is La Gabrielli: and, also, for describing to you Prince Orloff; a man who, when time lets out facts, and drives in mysteries, must necessarily make a considerable figure, good or bad—but certainly not indifferent,—in European history. Besides, I want your opinion, whether there is not an odd and striking resemblance in general manners, as well as in Herculean strength and height, in this Siberian Prince and his Abyssinian Majesty?” CONCERT.—EXTRACT THE SIXTH. “My dear Mr. Crisp. “I must positively talk to you again of the sweet Baroness Deiden, though I am half afraid to write you any more details of our Duet Concerts, lest they should tire your patience as much as my fingers. But you will be pleased to hear that they are still à-la-mode. We have just had another at the request of M. le Comte de Guignes, the French ambassador, delivered by Lady Edgcumbe; who not only came again her lively self, but brought her jocose and humorous lord; who seems as sportive and as fond of a hoax as any tar who walks the quarter-deck; and as cleverly gifted for making, as he is gaily disposed for enjoying one. They were both full of good-humour and spirits, and we liked them amazingly. They have not a grain of what you style the torpor of the times.
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    Lady Edgcumbe wasso transported by Müthel, that when her lord emitted a little cough, though it did not find vent till he had half stifled himself to check it, she called out, ‘What do you do here, my Lord, coughing? We don’t want that accompaniment.’ I wish you could have seen how drolly he looked. I am sure he was full primed with a ready repartee. But her ladyship was so intently in ecstacy, and he saw us all round so intently admiring her enthusiasm, that I verily believe he thought it would not be safe to interrupt the performance, even with the best witticism of his merry imagination. “We had also, for contrast, the new Groom of the Stole, Lord Ashburnham, with his key of gold dangling from his pocket. He is elegant and pleasing, though silent and reserved; and just as scrupulously high-bred, as Lord Edgcumbe is frolicsomely facetious. “But, my dear Mr. Crisp, we had again the bewitching Danish ambassadress, the Baroness Deiden, and her polite husband, the Baron. She is really one of the most delightful creatures in this lower world, if she is not one of the most deceitful. We were more charmed with her than ever. I wonder whether Ophelia was like her? or, rather, I have no doubt but she was just such another. So musical, too! The Danish Court was determined to show us that our great English bard knew what he was about, when he drew so attractive a Danish female. The Baron seems as sensible of her merit as if he were another Hamlet himself—though that is no man I ever yet saw! She speaks English very prettily; as she can’t help, I believe, doing whatever she sets about. She said to my father, ‘How good you were, Sir, to remember us! We are very much oblige indeed.’ And then to my sister, ‘I have heard no music since I was here last!’ “We had also Lord Barrington, brother to my father’s good friend Daines, and to the excellent Bishop of Salisbury.[9]. His lordship, as you know, is universally reckoned clever, witty, penetrating, and shrewd. But he bears this high character any where rather than in his air and look, which by no means pronounce his superiority of
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    their own accord.Doubtless, however, he has ‘that within which passeth shew;’ for there is only one voice as to his talents and merit. “His Honour, Mr. Brudenel,—but I will not again run over the names of the duplicates from the preceding concerts. I will finish my list with Lord Sandwich. “And most welcome he made himself to us, in entering the drawing- room, by giving intelligence that he had just heard from the circumnavigators, and that our dear James was well. “Lord Sandwich is a tall, stout man, and looks as furrowed and weather-proof as any sailor in the navy; and, like most of the old set of that brave tribe, he has good nature and joviality marked in every feature. I want to know why he is called Jemmy Twitcher in the newspapers? Do pray tell me that? “But why do I prepare for closing my account, before I mention him for whom it was opened? namely, M. le Comte de Guignes, the French ambassador. “He was looked upon, when he first came over, as one of the handsomest of men, as well as one of the most gallant; and his conquests amongst the fair dames of the court were in proportion with those two circumstances. I hope, therefore, now,—as I am no well-wisher to these sort of conquerors,—that his defeats, in future, will counter-balance his victories; for he is grown so fat, and looks so sleek and supine, that I think the tender tribe will hence-forward be in complete safety, and may sing, in full chorus, while viewing him, “‘Sigh no more, Ladies, sigh no more!’ “He was, however, very civil, and seemed well entertained; though he left an amusing laugh behind him from the pomposity of his exit; for not finding, upon quitting the music room, with an abrupt French leave, half a dozen of our lackeys waiting to anticipate his orders; half a dozen of those gentlemen not being positively at hand; he
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    indignantly and impatientlycalled out aloud: ‘Mes gens! où sont mes gens? Que sont ils donc devenu? Mes gens! Je dis! Mes gens!’ “Previously to this, the duet had gone off with its usual eclât. “Lord Sandwich then expressed an earnest desire to hear the Baroness play: but she would not listen to him, and seemed vexed to be entreated, saying to my sister Hettina, who joined his lordship in the solicitation, ‘Oh yes! it will be very pretty, indeed, after all this so fine music, to see me play a little minuet!’ “Lord Sandwich applied to my father to aid his petition; but my father, though he wished himself to hear the Baroness again, did not like to tease her, when he saw her modesty of refusal was real; and consequently, that overcoming it would be painful. I am sure I could not have pressed her for the world! But Lord Sandwich, who, I suppose, is heart of oak, was not so scrupulous, and hovered over her, and would not desist; though turning her head away from him, and waving her hand to distance him, she earnestly said: ‘I beg—I beg, my lord!—’ “Lord Barrington then, who, we found, was an intimate acquaintance of the ambassador’s, attempted to seize the waving hand; conjuring her to consent to let him lead her to the instrument. “But she hastily drew in her hand, and exclaimed: ‘Fie, fie, my lord Barrington!—so ill natured!—I should not think was you! Besides, you have heard me so often.’ “‘Madame la Baronne,’ replied he, with vivacity, ‘I want you to play precisely because Lord Sandwich has not heard you, and because I have!’ “All, however, was in vain, till the Baron came forward, and said to her, ‘Ma chère—you had better play something—anything—than give such a trouble.’ “She instantly arose, saying with a little reluctant shrug, but accompanied by a very sweet smile, ‘Now this looks just as if I was like to be so much pressed!’
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    “She then playeda slow movement of Abel’s, and a minuet of Schobert’s, most delightfully, and with so much soul and expression, that your Hettina could hardly have played them better. “She is surely descended in a right line from Ophelia! only, now I think of it, Ophelia dies unmarried. That is horribly unlucky. But, oh Shakespeare!—all-knowing Shakespeare!—how came you to picture just such female beauty and sweetness and harmony in a Danish court, as was to be brought over to England so many years after, in a Danish ambassadress? “But I have another no common thing to tell you. Do you know that my Lord Barrington, from the time that he addressed the Baroness Deiden, and that her manner shewed him to stand fair in her good opinion, wore quite a new air? and looked so high-bred and pleasing, that I could not think what he had done with his original appearance; for it then had as good a Viscount mien as one might wish to see on a summer’s day. Now how is this, my dear Daddy? You, who deride all romance, tell me how it could happen? I know you formerly were acquainted with Lord Barrington, and liked him very much—pray, was it in presence of some fair Ophelia that you saw him?” MRS. SHERIDAN. But highest, at this season, in the highest circles of society, from the triple bewitchment of talents, beauty, and fashion, stood the fair Linley Sheridan; who now gave concerts at her own house, to which entrance was sought not only by all the votaries of taste, and admirers of musical excellence, but by all the leaders of ton, and their numerous followers, or slaves; with an ardour for admittance that was as eager for beholding as for listening to this matchless warbler; so astonishingly in concord were the charms of person,
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    manners, and voice,for the eye and for the ear, of this resistless syren. To these concerts Dr. Burney was frequently invited; where he had the pleasure, while enjoying the spirit of her conversation, the winning softness of her address, and the attraction of her smiles, to return her attention to him by the delicacy of accompaniment with which he displayed her vocal perfection. HISTORY OF MUSIC. In the midst of this energetic life of professional exertion, family avocations, worldly prosperity, and fashionable distinction, Dr. Burney lost not one moment that he could purloin either from its pleasures or its toils, to dedicate to what had long become the principal object of his cares,—his musical work. Music, as yet, whether considered as a science or as an art, had been written upon only in partial details, to elucidate particular points of theory or of practice; but no general plan, or history of its powers, including its rise, progress, uses, and changes, in all the known nations of the world, had ever been attempted: though, at the time Dr. Burney set out upon his tours, to procure or to enlarge materials for such a work, it singularly chanced that there started up two fellow-labourers in the same vineyard, one English, the other Italian, who were working in their studies upon the same idea— namely, Sir John Hawkins, and Padre Martini. A French musical historian, also, M. de La Borde, took in hand the same subject, by a striking coincidence, nearly at the same period. Each of their labours has now been long before the public; and each, as usual, has received the mede of pre-eminence, according to the
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    sympathy of itsreaders with the several views of the subject given by the several authors. The impediments to all progressive expedition that stood in the way of this undertaking with Dr. Burney, were so completely beyond his control, that, with his utmost efforts and skill, it was not till the year 1776, which was six years after the publication of his plan, that he was able to bring forth his HISTORY OF MUSIC. And even then, it was the first volume only that he could publish; nor was it till six years later followed by the second. Greatly, however, to a mind like his, was every exertion repaid by the honour of its reception. The subscription, by which he had been enabled to sustain its numerous expences in books, travels, and engravings, had brilliantly been filled with the names of almost all that were most eminent in literature, high in rank, celebrated in the arts, or leading in the fashion of the day. And while the lovers of music received with eagerness every account of that art in which they delighted; scholars, and men of letters in general, who hitherto had thought of music but as they thought of a tune that might be played or sung from imitation, were astonished at the depth of research, and almost universality of observation, reading, and meditation, which were now shewn to be requisite for such an undertaking: while the manner in which, throughout the work, such varied matter was displayed, was so natural, so spirited, and so agreeable, that the History of Music not only awakened respect and admiration for its composition; it excited, also, an animated desire, in almost the whole body of its readers, to make acquaintance with its author. The History of Music was dedicated, by permission, to her Majesty, Queen Charlotte; and was received with even peculiar graciousness
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    when it waspresented, at the drawing-room, by the author. The Queen both loved and understood the subject; and had shewn the liberal exemption of her fair mind from all petty nationality, in the frank approbation she had deigned to express of the Doctor’s Tours; notwithstanding they so palpably displayed his strong preference of the Italian vocal music to that of the German. So delighted was Doctor Burney by the condescending manner of the Queen’s acceptance of his musical offering, that he never thenceforward failed paying his homage to their Majesties, upon the two birth-day anniversaries of those august and beloved Sovereigns. STREATHAM. Fair was this period in the life of Dr. Burney. It opened to him a new region of enjoyment, supported by honours, and exhilarated by pleasures supremely to his taste: honours that were literary, pleasures that were intellectual. Fair was this period, though not yet was it risen to its acme: a fairer still was now advancing to his highest wishes, by free and frequent intercourse with the man in the world to whose genius and worth united, he looked up the most reverentially—Dr. Johnson. And this intercourse was brought forward through circumstances of such infinite agreeability, that no point, however flattering, of the success that led him to celebrity, was so welcome to his honest and honourable pride, as being sought for at Streatham, and his reception at that seat of the Muses. Mrs. Thrale, the lively and enlivening lady of the mansion, was then at the height of the glowing renown which, for many years, held her in stationary superiority on that summit.
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