; for it is better to get but little, than to lose a great
deal, and that is not seldom the Case. The best he can do, is to be
assiduous in serving them, that at least he may hope for the Pleasure of
seeing them for once grateful, or be convinced for ever of their being
ungrateful.

Sec. 12. My long and repeated Travels have given me an Opportunity of being
acquainted with most of the Courts of _Europe_, and Examples, more than
my Words, should persuade every able Singer to see them also; but
without yielding up his Liberty to their Allurements: For Chains,
though of Gold, are still Chains; and they are not all of that precious
Metal: Besides, the several Inconveniencies of Disgrace, Mortifications,
Uncertainty; and, above all, the Hindrance of Study.

Sec. 13.[93] The golden Age of Musick would be already at an End, if the
Swans did not make their Nests on some Theatres in _Italy_, or on the
royal Banks of the _Thames_. O dear _London_!----On the other Streams,
they sing no more as they used to do their sweet Notes at their
expiring; but rather sadly lament the Expiration of those august and
adorable Princes, by whom they were tenderly belov'd and esteemed. This
is the usual Vicissitude of Things in this World; and we daily see, that
whatever is sublunary must of Necessity decline. Let us leave the Tears
to the Heart, and return to the Singer.

Sec. 14. A discreet Person will never use such affected Expressions as, _I
cannot sing To-day;--I've got a deadly Cold;_ and, in making his Excuse,
falls a Coughing. I can truly say, that I have never in my Life heard a
Singer own the Truth, and say, _I'm very well to-day_: They reserve the
unseasonable Confession to the next Day, when they make no Difficulty to
say, _In all my Days my Voice was never in better Order than it was
Yesterday_. I own, on certain Conjunctures, the Pretext is not only
suitable, but even necessary; for, to speak the Truth, the indiscreet
Parsimony of some, who would hear Musick for Thanks only, goes so far,
that they think a Master is immediately obliged to obey them _gratis_,
and that the Refusal is an Offence that deserves Resentment and Revenge.
But if it is a Law human and divine, that every Body should live by
their honest Labour, what barbarous Custom obliges a Musician to serve
without a Recompence? A cursed Over-bearing; O sordid Avarice!

Sec. 15. A Singer, that knows the World, distinguishes between the
different Manners of Commanding; he