s by the flourishes of imagination, sharpness of repartee,
glances of satire, and bear away the upper part in every _consort_. I
cannot but observe, that when a man is not disposed to hear music,
there is not a more disagreeable sound in harmony than that of a
Violin.

"There is another musical instrument, which is more frequent in this
nation than any other; I mean your Bass-Viol, which grumbles in the
bottom of the _consort_, and with a surly masculine sound strengthens
the harmony and tempers the sweetness of the several instruments that
play along with it. The Bass-Viol is an instrument of a quite
different nature to the Trumpet, and may signify men of rough sense
and unpolished parts, who do not love to hear themselves talk, but
sometimes break out with an agreeable bluntness, unexpected wit, and
surly pleasantries, to the no small diversion of their friends and
companions. In short, I look upon every sensible, true-born Briton to
be naturally a Bass-Viol."

WASHINGTON IRVING ON REALISTIC MUSIC AND THE VIOLIN.

"_Demi-Semiquaver to Launcelot Langstaff, Esq._

"SIR,--I felt myself hurt and offended by Mr. Evergreen's terrible
philippic against modern music in No. 11 of your work, and was under
serious apprehension that his strictures might bring the art, which I
have the honour to profess, into contempt. So far, sir, from agreeing
with Mr. Evergreen in thinking that all modern music is but the mere
dregs and drainings of the ancient, I trust before this letter is
concluded I shall convince you and him that some of the late
professors of this enchanting art have completely distanced the paltry
efforts of the ancients; and that I, in particular, have at length
brought it almost to absolute perfection.

"The Greeks, simple souls, were astonished at the powers of Orpheus,
who made the woods and rocks dance to his lyre--of Amphion, who
converted crotchets into bricks, and quavers into mortar--and of
Arion, who won upon the compassion of the fishes. In the fervency of
admiration, their poets fabled that Apollo had lent them his lyre, and
inspired them with his own spirit of harmony. What then would they
have said had they witnessed the wonderful effects of my skill?--had
they heard me, in the compass of a single piece, describe in glowing
notes one of the most sublime operations of nature, and not only make
inanimate objects dance, but even speak; and not only speak, but speak
in strains of exquisite harmony?

"