Chapter 2

How cheerful along the gay mead,The daisy and cowslip appear,The Flocks as they carelessly feed,Rejoice in the Spring of the year.The Myrtles that shade the gay bow’rs,The Herbage that springs from the Sod;Trees, plants, cooling fruits, and sweet flow’rsAll rise to the praise of my God.

The music, very simple and melodious, but without striking evidence of genius, has been frequently reprinted, and arranged in various forms.

A comedy, “The Rehearsal,” with Arne’s music, was played on the 1st of March, at the Theatre in Aungier Street, for the benefit of Mr. Basdin; the singing parts were performed by Mr. Lowe and Mr. Worsdale. TheJournal, Feb. 28-March 3, 1744, contained the advertisement announcing the firstpublic performance of “Alfred,” and the “Judgment of Paris,” which took place on the 10th of March; and on the 29th of the same month “Comus” was again performed, for the last time in the season, Mrs. Arne, as a matter of course, representing Sabrina and the Pastoral Nymph, and singing the song “Sweet Echo.” Lowe was the Bacchanal and Attendant Spirit; and Miss Davis, Euphrosyne. This performance was given at the Theatre in Aungier Street, and shortly afterwards “Rosamond” was revived at the Theatre Royal in Smock Alley. It must have been well received, as there were five performances, on the 2nd, 5th, 9th, 10th, and 19th of April. Mrs. Arne represented Queen Eleanor; Lowe, King Henry; Layfield, Sir Trusty; Miss Davis, Grideline; Madame Chateauneuf, Rosamond. On the 2nd “The Merchant of Venice” was also performed “with the songs proper to the Character,” sung by Mr. Lowe.Faulkner’s Journal, 7-10 April, contained a Song, “The Scene a Bower,” addressed to Mrs. Arne, which may be taken as evidence of her popularity. There are nine verses, commencing:

From yonder Bow’r, where blowing sweetsPerfume the vernal Air,I hear the music of a voicePeculiar to the tuneful Fair.

On the 26th of April a performance was given of the tragedy “Theodosius, or the Force of Love.” This play, written by Lee, was printed in 1680 with five songs and two choruses composed by Henry Purcell. The libretto was revised for the Dublin performance. The announcement ran, “At the particular Desire ofseveral Persons of Quality, for the Benefit of Mr. Barry, at the Theatre-royal in Smock-alley on Thursday the 26th Inst. will be acted a Tragedy called Theodosius or the Force of Love. The Part of Varanes to be performed by Mr. Barry, being the first Time of his appearing in that Character. Tickets to be had at Mr. Barry’s in Skinner-Row.—As the original Songs, and Chorus’s of the Play were never performed in this Kingdom, for want of Musick and Performances equal to such an Undertaking; Mr. Arne has been prevailed upon to set the same to new Musick.” Purcell’s music was published in 1680; copies of it are now very rare. It consisted of five songs and two choruses. Arne’s music was never printed, and only one manuscript score of it is known.[12]An examination of that copy shows that Arne wrote music for nine pieces—four airs and five choruses, very short movements. The words are not those set by Purcell, excepting one air and one chorus. The solos are written for soprano and contralto voices; the orchestration for strings, two oboes, and two horns.

The last appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Arne in Dublin, during the year 1744, was at the Great Room in Fishamble Street on Wednesday, the 30th of May, when “The Judgment of Paris” and “Alfred” were performed for their joint benefits. Particulars respecting this event will be found onpage 124. The season being ended, Arne and his wife returned to England, by way of Parkgate and Chester. During their stay in the last named city the youth Charles Burney was introduced to Arne, and having exhibited his skill as aperformer on the harpsichord became an articled pupil of the popular composer, with whom he journeyed to London. Upon his arrival in the Metropolis, Arne resumed his connection with Drury Lane Theatre as composer, and obtained an engagement there for his wife as “Serious Singer.” The year 1745 was a prosperous one for both Arne and his wife—they were in constant employ at the Theatre and in concerts.

On the 20th of March, Mrs. Arne had a benefit at Drury Lane Theatre, when “Alfred” was performed for the first time in London. The details of this interesting and memorable occasion will be given in connection with “Rule, Britannia.”

On the death of Gordon, the leader of the orchestra at Drury Lane, Arne accepted the appointment which was virtually that of conductor. This was a welcome addition to his importance and income.

A letter written by Mrs. Cibber to Garrick, dated the 1st of May, 1745, gives interesting evidence of the amicable relations between Arne and Garrick at that time: “I am very glad to hear you are better, and if you dare venture out, shall be glad of your company at dinner. As you are an invalid, pray send me word what you can eat, and at what hour you will dine. I shall sendTom[Arne] to meet you, and am Sir David, Your most faithful friend and servant, to command till death.”

On Saturday, the 28th of September, 1745, occurred a memorable scene in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. TheDaily Advertiserpublished on the Monday following describes it thus: “On Saturday night last, the audience of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, were agreeably surprised by the Gentlemen belongingto that House performing the Anthem of God save our noble King. The universal Applause it met with, being encored with repeated Huzzas, sufficiently denoted in how just an Abhorrence they hold the arbitrary Schemes of our insidious Enemies, and detest the despotick Attempts of Papal power.” The Anthem was repeated nightly till nearly the end of November, and the managers of Covent Garden Theatre followed suit. The arrangement of the Anthem for Drury Lane was made by Arne, who had for principal singers Mrs. Cibber, Mr. Beard, and Mr. Reinhold. Mrs. Cibber being a contralto, the music had to be sung in a low key. Arne’s autograph manuscript written for the occasion is in the British Museum: it will be interesting to see the melody of “God save the King” as then sung:

[Listen] [XML]

Arne’s pupil Burney made the arrangement of “God save the King” for Covent Garden Theatre; the enthusiasm excited at that theatre fully equalled that of Drury Lane. Benjamin Victor, in a letter he wrote to Garrick on the 10th of October, 1745, said“the stage, at both houses, is the mostpious, as well as the mostloyalplace in the three kingdoms. Twenty men appear at the end of every play; and one, stepping forward from the rest, with uplifted hands and eyes, begins singing, to an old anthem tune, the following words—God save the King.”

In this year, 1745, Arne was appointed composer to Vauxhall Gardens, for which fashionable place of amusement he wrote a considerable number of songs, ballads, and a dialogue “Colin and Phœbe,” which was sung every evening throughout the season by Mrs. Arne and Mr. Lowe. Engagements of a similar character at Marylebone Gardens and Ranelagh gave great scope for his talents, and must have kept him fully occupied.

In 1746, on the 17th of January, a farce, “Miss in her Teens,” written by Garrick, with music by Arne, was produced at Covent Garden Theatre. On the 31st of January Shakespeare’s “Tempest” was revived at Drury Lane Theatre. TheGeneral Advertiserannounced the performances, “Drury Lane. Never Acted there before. By His Majesty’s Company of Comedians. At the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, this Day will be presented a Play call’d The Tempest, as written by Shakespeare: with the original Decorations, particularly the Grand Masque, new set to music by Mr. Arne. The Part of Ariel (with the proper songs) by Mrs. Clive.” This was the birthday of the beautiful melody, “Where the bee sucks,” a song whose freshness and charm never tire, and a tuneful combination of poetry and music destined to endure so long as the concord of sweet sounds has the power of touching human hearts.

Another interesting letter from Mrs. Cibber to Garrick, dated 8th of April, 1746, contains severalreferences to her brother:—“My brother is to thank you for my playing for him.... Tom Arne sends his service: he is forced to put his pit and boxes together, which I reckon will be no advantage to him, ladies’ hoops taking up more room than the difference of price.”

In 1748, Mrs. Arne left Drury Lane Theatre, and went to Dublin with her sister, Mrs. Lampe, a singer of repute and wife of the composer of “The Dragon of Wantley.” Previous reference has been made to Mrs. Arne’s frequent attacks of illness; one of these prevented her undertaking work in the early part of the Dublin season; and it was not before the 11th of November that she was able to sing in public. On that day she took part in Handel’s “Esther,” “being recovered from her late illness.” She next sang the part of Galatea in Handel’s “Acis” on the 18th, and at a repetition performance on the 25th.Faulkner’s Journalof Nov. 19-22, reported that “Mrs. Arne (tho’ but just recovered out of a violent Fever) gave entire satisfaction.” In the following December (on the 16th) she sang in Handel’s “Solomon”; and on the 7th of February, 1749, had a benefit concert at the Fishamble Street Music Hall, when she took the part of Galatea in Handel’s “Acis,” and she with her sister, Mrs. Lampe, “introduced several favourite Songs and Duets.”

Arne had a son, born in 1740 or 1741 (Dr. Burney says, he was a “natural son”), who inherited some of his father’s gifts for music. These were encouraged and developed, and we find, amongst Arne’s compositions, songs composed for the youth,who was introduced to the public by his father at Marylebone Gardens. Two excellent printed examples are “Ianthe and Iphis, sung by Master Arne, at Marybon Gardens”—and “An thou wert mine own Thing, sung by Master Arne at Marybon Gardens.” The youth became well known as a composer and performer in London and Dublin. One of his songs, popular to-day, “The lass with a delicate air,” is sometimes ascribed in error to his father.

In 1752 Arne composed music for “Harlequin Sorcerer,” an old pantomime in which Rich had many years before made a great success. The performance took place at Covent Garden Theatre on the 11th of February, and there was an overwhelming demand for seats; the doors were therefore opened at three o’clock in the afternoon. The performers included Mrs. Arne, Mrs. Lampe, Mr. Lowe, Mr. Legge, and a Chorus. The music was published by Walsh, who appears to have had a business contract with the composer. The following letter, by Arne, addressed to William Shenstone, the poet, throws light on the subject: “Nov. ye 30, 1754.Sir—By the hands of Mr. Dodsley, I receiv’d your very obliging letter, and wou’d for my own Pleasure comply with your Request; but Mr. Dodsley’s interest in this Particular interferes with mine; for if he prints my Music in his Publication, I shall lose the sale of it to Mr. Walsh [the King’s Music-Printer] who gives me 20 guineas for every Collection I compose—consisting of eight or nine Songs, and who wou’d not give a shilling for any Thing that another had first publish’d. Of this I acquainted Mr. Dodsley, who did not seem inclin’d to make any Gratuity forthe Loss. Any Song, Cantata, or Dramatic Piece from so delicate a Pen, whereby I should not considerably lose to promote another’s Gain, wou’d be the most welcome present I cou’d receive, stamp an additional Reputation on my Music, and highly oblige. Sr. your most obedt. servt. Thos. Augne. Arne, Charles Street, Covent Garden.”

That Arne’s music had obtained repute in Edinburgh, is shown by an advertisement in theCaledonian Mercuryof the 6th of March, 1752: “New Musick. Now in the press and will be ready by the beginning of April next, and delivered to subscribers. All the Songs, Duettos, and Trios in the Masque of Comus composed by Thomas Augustine Arne, as adapted to the Harpsichord and Voice, and all the Songs, Duettos and Trios in the Burlesque Opera, called the Dragon of Wantley composed by the great John Frederick Lampe, likewise adapted to the Harpsichord and Voice. The above words may occasionally be accompanied with Violin or German Flute and Violoncello. This manner of reducting them to avoid the Perplexity of the different parts in a score which confound young practitioners was finished by Mr. Lampe in his lifetime,[13]and the proofs of the Plates have been revised and corrected by Mr. Arne.”

In May, 1754, Arne went to Edinburgh, possibly on business in connection with the publications announced in the above advertisement. Be that as it may, theCaledonian Mercuryof the 23rd of May contained the following notice:—“For the benefit of Mr. Arne. At the Assembly Hall on Monday, 27th May, A Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Musick. The Vocal part to be performed by Miss Rodburn, and the Instrumental by Mr. Pasquali, Mr. Arne and others. To begin Precisely at 6. Tickets, 2/6. To be had at Mr. Arne’s Lodgings, at Mr. Johnston’s, Wigmaker, head of Chalmer’s Close, and at the Old and John’s Coffee houses.”

In the autumn of 1755, Arne and his wife again visited Dublin. They were accompanied by a number of capable vocalists, Miss Young, Mrs. Arne’s sister, her six-year-old niece Miss Polly Young,[14]and Miss Charlotte Brent; they resided together in Fishamble Street, at the Passage Door next the Golden Scales. Arne advertised inFaulkner’s Journal, Oct. 4-7: “To the Public. Mr. Arne, who is arrived in this Kingdom, with several Vocal Performers, having agreed with Managers of the Theatre Royal, Proposes, by Subscription, to entertain the Town Ten Nights, with Three Operas in the English Language, (viz.): A new Opera call’d Eliza, An Opera call’d Alfred, and, an Opera call’d the Fairies. The Subscription is, this Day, opened at the Office of the Theatre in Smock Alley, where Attendance will be given every Day from Twelve to Three. Ten Box Tickets for the ten Performances will be delivered to each Subscriber for two Guineas.—The first Performance will be in the Beginning of November. N.B. The Orchestra will be considerably enlarged, an Additional Number of the best Instrumental Performers engag’d, and Mr. Arne will accompany the Operas on the Harpsichord.”

This advertisement was repeated several times, with the additional information that there would be “A fine Organ put up” and that “Places for the Boxes for the said Nights of Performance, to be taken at the Office of the Theatre from 12 to 3, or of Mr. Neil, at his House in Abbey-street.” In consequence of the illness of Mrs. Arne, theJournalof 8-11 Nov. stated:—“The Opera of Eliza is obliged to be deferred to the 27th, on Account of the Indisposition of a principal Performer.” The opera was again postponed to the 29th, when it was given “By Command of his Excellency the Marquis of Hartington,” and the “whole House was illuminated with Wax Lights.” Printed books of the opera were “published and sold by Mr. Hoey, at theMercuryin Skinner-Row, and at the Theatre, at a British Sixpence each.” TheJournalgave a report of the performance: “On Saturday last, at the Theatre-Royal in Smock-Alley, was perform’d Mr. Arne’s new Opera call’d Eliza: The noble and splendid Appearance, and the great and just Applause throughout the whole Performance, were strong Indications of the good Taste reigning in this Kingdom, and a generous, though proper Compliment to that great Master of his Science, Mr. Arne,—Mrs. Arne, whose Excellence is well known, had the Misfortune of a violent Hoarseness, and rose from her Bed in a Fever to perform; Mr. Sadler and Miss Brent, were greatly approv’d; but Miss Polly Young, a Child of six Years of Age, pleased and astonished the whole Company, having a sweet melodious voice, accenting her Words with great Propriety, and Singing perfectly in Time andTune. The Poem is, by all judges of good Writing, thought excellent; the Orchestra was full, and perform’d without a Fault; but the Judgement, Taste, Expression, and Variety of the Music would be injur’d in an Attempt to commend it.” The performance was repeated on Thursday the 4th, and Saturday the 20th of December. Arne’s opera “Rosamond” was played on the 31st, with Mrs. Arne as Queen Eleanor; Miss Brent, Rosamond; Grideline, Miss Young; Page, Miss Polly Young; King Henry, Mr. Sadler. Mr. Arne conducted. The opera was repeated with the same cast on the 9th of January, 1756; and on the 21st and 26th of the same month “Comus” was performed under the composer’s conductorship by Mrs. Arne, Miss Brent, Miss Spencer, Mr. Sadler and Mr. Corry.Faulkner’s Journal, 20-24 Jan., 1756, contained an “Ode to Apollo,” without author’s name. The following verses, if written by one of the public, show that Arne and his wife were held in the highest estimation by music-lovers:

Hark! hark! what notes enchant my Ears,Sweet as the musick of the Spheres?’Tis ARNE—the Gods’ Vicegerent comes,Now vanish Rackets, Routs, and Drums;And with him come the Muses Hand in Hand,To see fulfilled Apollo’s great command.See Taste with Joy its Head uprears,Rais’d by Arne’s heav’nly Airs;Skill’d with equal Pow’r t’inspireIrene’s youth with martial Fire,And lull to Rest, with Soul-delighting Sounds,The Pains of Grief, and heal Love’s bleeding Wounds.Not he that charm’d the Thracians’ Plains,E’er tun’d his Lyre to softer strains;Nor does the warbling Bird of NightMore than his sweet-song’d Spouse delight.O say! what Price or Gifts can both engageHere to remain, to save a sinking age?

See Taste with Joy its Head uprears,Rais’d by Arne’s heav’nly Airs;Skill’d with equal Pow’r t’inspireIrene’s youth with martial Fire,And lull to Rest, with Soul-delighting Sounds,The Pains of Grief, and heal Love’s bleeding Wounds.

Not he that charm’d the Thracians’ Plains,E’er tun’d his Lyre to softer strains;Nor does the warbling Bird of NightMore than his sweet-song’d Spouse delight.O say! what Price or Gifts can both engageHere to remain, to save a sinking age?

In the following February (24-28) theJournalannounced: “The Play called the Tempest, or the Inchanted Island (with all the original Musick) is now in Rehearsal at the Theatre Royal, and will be performed next Week. The Part of Ariel by Miss Brent, being her first Appearance in that Character, Neptune by Mr. Sadler, Amphitrite by Miss Spencer, and Mr. Arne will accompany the Musick on the Harpischord.” Mrs. Arne, Miss Brent and Miss Spencer sang at a concert given on the 17th March, in aid of the Meath Hospital, and three days later, the 20th, were engaged in a performance of “Comus” for the benefit of Mr. Arne; the “Masque of Comus” was followed by “a Farce (never acted before) called, The Pincushion: Being a Manuscript of the celebrated Mr. Gay’s, Author of the Beggar’s Opera. The Songs adapted to favourite Ballad Airs of Mr. Arne’s. The Characters by Mr. Sadler, Mrs. Pye, Miss E. Young, and Miss Brent.” TheJournalinformed the public “that the Masque of Comus will be performed in a most elegant Manner on Mr. Arne’s Benefit night next Saturday, that two Rows of the Pit will be taken in to inlarge the Orchestra, and Mr. Arne will accompany the musical Part. We are further assured that the new pastoral ballad Farce called The Pincushion, which will likewisethen be performed, is a real Manuscript of that celebrated Poet Mr. Gay, Author of the Beggar’s Opera, and that Songs are adapted by Mr. Arne. several of which are New.”

A benefit for Mrs. Knowles, on the 2nd of April, was given for which Arne composed music. The advertisement announced: “Act the 2nd. A Duetto between Mr. Sadler and Mr. Butler, accompanied with French Horns, etc., called The Death of the Stag. The Music composed by Mr. Arne!” At the end of the play “by particular desire” Miss Brent sang, “Where the bee sucks.” The duet with French horns was doubtless composed to exhibit the skill of “Mr. Charles and his Second.” On the 5th of May, Miss Spencer had a benefit at the Theatre, when she introduced “A new Ballad call’d Kitty, or the Female Phaeton; the words by Prior, set by Mr. Arne.” This song became a favourite at Ranelagh Gardens. Mrs. Arne contemplated giving a benefit concert and ball in May; the programme was to include music from Arne’s “Alfred,” but after several advertisements and postponements, it was announced that “Mrs. Arne is obliged to acquaint the Public that Mr. Arne (by Desire) intending one capital Performance of Alfred before his Departure from this Kingdom, she will make no other Benefit on her own Account, and those Tickets which are disposed of among her Friends will be then taken, on paying the additional Price.” Subsequent advertisement announced: “By Special Command of their Excellencies the Lords Justices.—For the Benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Arne. At the Great Music-hall in Fishamble-street, onTuesday, the 25th of this Inst., May, will be performed, in the Manner of an Oratorio, Alfred the Great, composed by Mr. Arne, at the special command of His late Royal Highness, Frederic, Prince of Wales, and originally performed in his Palace at Cliefdon. Mr. Arne will accompany the Performance on the Harpsichord, and Mr. Walsh will perform a Concerto on the Organ. The Vocal Parts to be performed by Mrs. Arne, Mr. Sadler, Miss Brent, Miss Spencer, Miss Young and Miss Polly Young. Ticket, a British Crown. All outstanding Tickets, for the Opera of Eliza and the Tickets delivered by Mrs. Arne, will be taken. After the Performance (by Desire) will be a Ball, conducted in the most elegant Manner, on Account of which the Performance will begin at Seven. Tickets to be had only of Mr. Arne, at the Passage Door next the Golden Scales, in Fishamble-street.”

Arne, by Bartolozzi.

After this performance in 1756, Arne appears to have left Dublin, and probably never revisited that city. Mrs. Arne remained in Dublin with her niece, Miss Polly Young, who had a benefit at the Smock Alley Theatre on the 8th of July, and was assisted by Miss Young and Miss Brent. The Youngs sang also at a benefit concert given for Miss Polly Young, at Marborough Green, on the 7th of September. It seems pretty clear that Arne deserted his wife at this time, and that the fact soon became known to many in Dublin. An “Assembly” was announced for her benefit early in December, but was postponed from time to time; finally, theJournal, March 5-8, 1767, announced:“Mrs. Arne, having opened the Music-Hall in Fishamble-Street for her Benefit on Saturday the 12th of Feb., under great Disadvantages, is advised by her Friends (who had Notice of that Night,and are sensible of her Losses) to fix on Thursday, the 10th of March, for her Benefit and Miss Young’s, when the Ladies and Gentlemen who will honour them with their Company, may depend they shall on no Account be disappointed.—N.B. The Tickets given out for the different Nights she has advertised will be taken, and others had of Mrs. Arne, at her Lodgings in Aungier-street and at the Music-Hall. Price 5s. 6d.” Later in the year (April 24th) Mrs. Arne and Miss Young gave a concert. Allusion has already been made to Mrs. Arne’s frequent attacks of indisposition, and it is reasonable to think that her husband’s conduct would have a grave effect on her health and spirits. She seems to have relinquished public performance for a time and retired into private life. A very interesting glimpse of her is to be found in “The Autobiography and Correspondence of Mary Granville, Mrs. Delany.” Writing to her sister, Mrs. Dewes, from Mount Panther, County Down, on the 8th of August, 1758, she said: “On Saturday we dined at Mr. Bayly’s; Miss Bayly had gone on a party of pleasure. I was surprised there at meeting Mrs. Arne (Miss Young that was); they have her in the house to teach Miss Bayly to sing; she was recommended to Mr. Bayly by Mrs. Berkeley as an object of compassion. She looks, indeed, much humbled, and I hope is as deserving as they think her to be; great allowances are to be made for the temptations those poor people fall under. She has been severely used by a badhusband, and suffered to starve, if she had not met with charitable people. She behaves herself very well, and though her voice has lost its bloom as well as her face, she sings well, and was well taught by Geminiani and Handel, and had she not been idle would have been a charming singer. Mr. Bayly plays on the violin, his curate on the German flute; Mrs. Arne and Miss Bayly sing, and a girl of nine years old[15]accompanies them on the harpsichord most surprisingly; she is a niece of Mrs. Arne’s; the race of the Youngs arebornsongsters and musicians. It is very agreeable to have such an entertainment in our power to go to whenever we please.” Poor Mrs. Arne! humbled, half-starved, deserted by her husband, losing her good looks, and the bloom of her voice, sings well, and if she had not been idle would have been a charming singer! Mrs. Delany, a gifted and kind-hearted woman, was evidently ignorant of the fact that the lady she criticised was forty-seven years of age, and had been constantly before the public, as a vocalist, for twenty-six years.

In the following January, 1759, Mrs. Arne and Miss Young were residing together in Dublin, at Mrs. Rowe’s, in Drogheda Street. A Grand concert of Vocal and Instrumental Musick, followed by a Ball, was given for Mrs. Arne’s Benefit at the Fishamble Street Music Hall on the 6th of March, when both appeared and sang; another benefit performance for Mrs. Arne was given on the 17th of April, when “Much ado about Nothing” was performed. Miss Young, Mrs. Storer andMr. Wilder were the vocalists. A benefit concert and ball, for Mrs. Arne, was given on the 10th of December; she had then removed to “Mrs. Lee’s, in William-street.” It is significant that she did not sing on this occasion, nor is there any evidence of her appearing again before the Dublin public; a Grand Ball was announced for the Benefit of Mrs. Arne and Miss Young at the Fishamble Street Music Hall on the 25th of November, when it was stated: “Before the Minuets Miss Young will sing some capital Songs, accompanied by herself on the Harpsichord.”

Mr. Arne had been fully engaged in the various gardens and theatres in London. At Covent Garden “Cymbeline” was produced, with songs by him. His pupil, Miss Brent, had appeared at Drury Lane Theatre, in his opera “Eliza,” on March the 3rd, 1758, and at Covent Garden on the 10th of October, 1759, as Polly, in the “Beggar’s Opera.” On the 6th of July, 1759, the University of Oxford conferred upon Arne the degree of “Doctor in Music.”[16]It is said that he composed an Ode which he submitted to the authorities; but no copy of it is known to exist.

In 1760, on the 28th of November, Dr. Arne’s musical entertainment “Thomas and Sally,” written by Bickerstaff, was produced at Covent Garden Theatre. Miss Brent made a great success both as singer and actress; the other vocalists included Mr. Beard, Mrs. Vernon, and Mr. Mattocks. The piece obtained immediate and lasting popularity.The music was published with the following title: “Thomas and Sally, or the Sailor’s Return, a Dramatic Pastoral, with the Overture in score, songs, dialogues, duettos and dance tunes, as performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden by Mr. Beard and Miss Brent, Mr. Mattocks, Mrs. Vernon, and chorus. The music compos’d by Doctr. Arne. London Printed for J. Walsh, in Catherine Street, in the Strand. Enter’d at Stationers’ Hall.”

In 1761, on the 27th of February, at Drury Lane Theatre, Arne brought out his oratorio “Judith,” one of his most important compositions. ThePublic Advertiserof the above date, announced: “At the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane, This Day, will be performed a new Sacred Oratorio call’d JUDITH. The Music composed by Dr. Arne, with a Concerto on the Organ. Pit and Boxes will be laid together at Half a Guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Tickets for the Pit and Boxes may be had of Mr. Varney, at the Stage-Door of the Theatre. To begin at half an hour after Six o’clock.” The following day a brief notice appeared in the same journal, which said: “Last Night the new sacred Oratorio call’dJudith, was performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, to a most polite Audience, who gave it the greatest Approbation and Applause ever known, on the Occasion.” Evidence of the success of the oratorio is the repetition of it on the 4th and 6th of March. It was also again performed in Lenten season of 1762 at the theatre. In 1764, on February 29th, it was performed at the Chapel of the Lock Hospital, Grosvenor Place, Pimlico, on behalf of the funds of the charity. A more notablerepetition took place at Covent Garden Theatre on the 26th of February 1773, when for the first time ladies formed a part of the chorus; before this time the treble chorus was confined to boys’ voices. This happy innovation of Dr. Arne’s was well received; thePublic Advertisersaid: “The Oratorio of Judith, composed by Dr. Arne, which was performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, yesterday evening, was received with uncommon Applause. The principal singers acquitted themselves to the utmost Satisfaction of the Audience. Mr. Barthelemon was greatly admired in his Solo on the Violin, and too much cannot be said of Signor Spandau’s Concerto on the French Horn, as it surpassed any Performance on that Instrument hitherto heard in this Country. The striking Appearance of the Band and Chorus, which were much more numerous than they usually have been, received a most pleasing Addition from the Female Singers, then first introduced.” It is somewhat remarkable that the Pianoforte was first used in public as an accompaniment for the voice when a song from “Judith” was sung at Covent Garden Theatre by Miss Brickler on the 16th of May, 1767. The playbill announced that after the first Act of the “Beggar’s Opera,” “Miss Brickler will sing a favourite song from Judith, accompanied by Mr. Dibdin, on a new instrument called Piano Forte.” The published score of the music of “Judith” has for title, “Judith an Oratorio as it is Perform’d at the Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane, Compos’d by Dr. Arne, London. Printed for J. Walsh in Catherine Street in the Strand.” This volume unfortunately does not contain a single chorus. The Overture is scored for Strings, Hautboys, Bassoonand Horns. It opens with a spirited Allegro, followed by a short Andante movement for strings only; the other instruments resume in the final Allegro Moderato. A solo, “Wake, my harp,” which was sung by Mrs. Cornelys, is accompanied by strings, violins pizzicato, harp and harpsichord in a very effective manner. In an air, “Haste to the gardens of delight,” sung by Mr. Tenducci, two flutes are added to the orchestration; and in another air, “With heroes and sages,” also sung by Tenducci, we find the bassoons have parts independent of the basses, a somewhat novel departure at the period when Arne wrote. An air, “No more the Heathen shall blaspheme,” sung by Mr. Fawcett, has the novel accompaniment of two violoncellos and bass; no other instruments until the last four bars of symphony, when the violins are introduced. Fortunately the composer’s autograph score exists in the British Museum, and in that we find much of interest. It exemplifies in some degree the well-known haste and carelessness of the composer; there are sundry memoranda, such as “take care of the Instrumental parts where I have mistaken the lines,” “Bassoons in semibriefs,” &c. The choruses are in this case his own; there was no borrowing from Handel. The first, “Father of mercies,” is short—only thirty-seven bars. The next, “When Israel wept,” is also short and good. “Hear, angels, hear” extends to one hundred and twenty-six bars; “Hail, immortal Bacchus,” eighty-five bars; “Prepare the genial bower,” eighty-seven bars; and the next, a very fine chorus, “Who can Jehovah’s wrath abide,” one hundred and eight bars; “Breathe the pipe,” sixty-twobars; and the last chorus, “Here, sons of Jacob,” written in five vocal parts for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, sixty-four bars. Dr. Arne was remarkable for his deficient memory respecting things trifling in themselves, yet sometimes of considerable consequence as connected with other matters. If he made an appointment to meet a friend, whether for the purpose of business or amusement, he would probably mistake the day; if he wrote an order for the theatre, it was equally probable that the play would be misnamed, or that the frank would bear a wrong date. On one occasion, when he had prepared an elaborate Ode, he had it rehearsed, and announced the day for its public performance. The great room at the Crown and Anchor[17]was crowded with company impatiently waiting for their expected gratification. Arne arrived at the tavern-door in a fiacre, leaped out with the score under his arm, and left the parts behind him. When the doctor discovered his neglect, he was in the condition of a madman. Persons were dispatched in all directions in search of the coach, but it could not be found; and the band and company were subjected to the mortification of being dismissed—the first without performing, and the latter without hearing, a note of the prepared Ode. Could this have been the Ode which, it is said, he composed as an exercise for his degree? Arne, by his connection with the theatres, had constant opportunities for cultivating theacquaintance of Italian singers, and of keeping up his knowledge of the Italian language; he was evidently influenced in his later compositions by this familiarity. The simplicity of his melodies became disfigured by excessive ornamentation, and was the subject of adverse criticism. The scurrilous poet, Churchill, in 1761, published the “Rosciad,” a satire on actors, in which he violently attacked Arne:

Let Tommy Arne, with usual pomp of style,Whose chief, whose only merit’s to compile,Who, meanly pilfering here and there a bit,Deals music out, as Murphy deals out wit;Publish proposals, laws for taste prescribe,And chaunt the praise of an Italian tribe;Let him reverse Kind Nature’s first decrees,And teach e’en Brent a method not to please:But never shall a truly British ageBear a vile race of eunuchs on the stage:The boasted work’s called national in vain,If one Italian voice pollute the strain.Where tyrants rule, and slaves with joy obey,Let slavish minstrels pour th’ enervate lay;To Britons far more noble pleasures springIn native note, while Beard and Vincent sing.

Arne’s Italian proclivities induced him to translate Metastasio’s drama “Artaserse,” and to transform it into an Opera on the accepted Italian mode, without dialogue. This he did successfully; the recitatives, however, are long and dreary, and the poetry is by no means of a high order. For instance, a very favourite air reads:

Water parted from the sea,May increase the river’s tide;To the bubbling fount may fleeOr thro’ fertile valleys glide:Yet in search of lost repose,Doom’d, like me, forlorn to roam,Still it murmurs as it flows,Till it reach its native home.

The music of “Artaxerxes” has much charm, and presents excellent harmonization in the accompaniments, which are scored for strings, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, and drums. In two of the pieces the violetta is employed; there are also two violas obbligato, but as was usual with Arne there is no instance of a general ensemble of the instruments employed. In the Air “O too lovely,” sung by Tenducci, the violins and basses are marked “Sordini e Pizzicati.” The vocal music is quite overladen with ornament, and the compass required for the several voice parts is generally excessive. The opera was produced at Covent Garden Theatre on the 2nd of February, 1762; the principal performers were Miss Brent, Mr. Beard, Mrs. Vernon, Miss Thomas, Mr. Mattocks, and Tenducci and Pesetti, both of whom came under the lash of Churchill’s satire. The part of Mandane was composed to show off the compass and flexibility of the voices of the composer’s celebrated pupil, Miss Brent, who therefore was the first exponent of the martial song, “The soldier tired of war’s alarms,” which for many succeeding years was the prescribed test for every new soprano who courted public favour on the stage or in the concert room. This bravura air with its trumpet obbligato still remains a favourite with competent vocalists and discriminating audiences. Arne sold the copyright of his music for sixty guineas, and it was published with the followingtitle: “Artaxerxes An English Opera As it is performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden Set to Music by Dr. Arne. London. Printed for John Johnson at the Harp and Crown opposite Bow Church Cheapside.” Another edition of the full score was published from Johnson’s plates, “by Authority,” by Mr. William Warrell, No. 35 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden. Price 12s. It is again worthy of note that Arne did not publish the music of the recitatives in “Artaxerxes,” nor of the concluding chorus, “Live to us, to Empire live.” Arne’s libretto was published by Tonson in 1763, with a preface written by the composer. A short extract follows: “Metastasio, in his Dialect, seems to affect Simplicity; and from his great Experience in writing for music, has given the following Plan for the Poetry of an Opera, viz., That the Fable, or Recitative, to which fixed Musical Sounds are adapted, should be simple Dialect; hard and dissonant Epithets (though ever so forcible in other Respects) being destructive to Music, and, when sung, for the chief Part, unintelligible. That the similes be confin’d to the Songs; and that the Words, which are to express them, be as smooth and sonorous as possible lest the Composer be cramp’d in his Fancy, and the Singers rendered incapable of shewing their Skill, which chiefly consists in openly displaying the Tones of their Voices or running executive Passages.

“The Translator of this Opera has no Merit, but from his Endeavour to follow the Author in all these Particulars. He therefore submits this first Attempt of the Kind to the Favour and Indulgence of the Publick, not doubting that (if they consider the Difficulty of writing under such Restrictions, the Necessity of sometimes departing from the Author, on Account of the different Idioms of our Language; and of leaving out many Beauties in the Narrative Part of the Drama, for the sake of Brevity;) they will rather peruse it with an Eye of Favour than Severity.”

“Artaxerxes” was played twelve nights at Covent Garden Theatre during the season 1762-63, and twelve nights in the succeeding season, 1763-64. Seven nights in 1764-65, and nine nights, 1768-69. In this latter season, Drury Lane Theatre performed it for four nights with Mrs. Arne as Mandane. In 1791, the rival theatres competed; Covent Garden with the part of Mandane by Mrs. Billington as a star, and Drury Lane with Madame Mara in that character. On the 23rd of September, 1813, it was reproduced at Covent Garden, for the début of Miss Stephens, afterwards Countess of Essex. The famous tenor, Braham, after a temporary absence from the theatre stage, generally selected “Artaxerxes” for his reappearance. “Artaxerxes” was performed at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, in 1769, with Mr. Rose as Artaxerxes; Mr. Phillips, Artabanes; Arbaces, Mr. Tenducci; Rimines, Mrs. Woodman; Semira, Miss Brown; and Mandane by Madame Tenducci.[18]The curious part of the performance was “the addition of three favourite Scots Airs, the words by Mr. R. Fergusson.” The first of these was “By Heav’n’s displeasure,” to thetune “Braes of Balansene”; the second “What doubts oppress,” to the tune “Roslin Castle”; the third, “O where shall I wander,” to the tune “Lochaber no more.” The first and last of these interpolations were sung by Signor Tenducci.

On the 8th of December, 1762, “Love in a village,” by Bickerstaff, with music by Dr. Arne, and Beard in the principal character, was brought out at Covent Garden Theatre. Arne was at the time not on friendly terms with Garrick, the manager of Drury Lane, to whom he addressed the following letter:

“Sir—The occasion of my troubling you with this arises from a wicked report made by some busy Argus, who having an hundred eyes, and but one of them honest, had ninety-nine too many. Mrs. Cibber not a little amazed me, when she told me I was charged by you with hissing Master Norris,[19]or, at least, with holding my head down, in an odd position, whenever he was hissed.—Sir, I cannot remember whether my head was up or down, or inclining to one side or the other, but take upon me positively to swear, that I never was so mean a rascal as to hiss the greatest enemy I ever had in the world, much less a young lad who never offended me; who, I then thought, as I now think, deserved thekindest treatment imaginable; being surprised, as well as shocked, to hear and see the best singer in your company (except Mr. Vernon), though with some material defects, treated in so base and undeserving a manner. I was so far from inclining to any such unbecoming behaviour that I was the only advocate he had, and kept all quiet about me, except a young boy of an officer, who said he did not care for the lad’s understanding music, that he squalled, and he would hiss him. I would not have gone to the performance, for fear of some scandal from these observing Pickthanks, had I not a friendship for Mr. Stevens, the lawyer, and an intention to serve the lad; and was so unhappy, when I came home, that I could not eat my supper on his account. Whoever told you that I showed any signs of disapprobation is a busy lying scoundrel, which I am ready to assert to his face, and answer the consequence. Yet, though neither I, nor my small abilities in my profession, nor those of any person belonging to me, or in my interest, have ever received the smile of your favour, but, on the contrary, have been greatly overlooked and discouraged upon my account, I have never failed in my respect to you, and still continue (in spite of ill-treatment) an admirer of your extraordinary talents, and,Sir,

“Your real humble servant,“Thomas Augustine Arne.

“Nov. 10th, 1762.”

Garrick lost no time in replying. On the same day he wrote to Dr. Arne: “Sir,—There are many mistakes in your letter; and first I did not charge youwith hissing Master Norris; but when Mrs. Cibber spoke to me about that affair, I told her the truth, that you was charged with being in the company of hissers, and though you might not hiss, the persons averred that you were pleased, and laughed at the malcontents about you. I thought this affair of so little consequence, and so little willing am I to hear Pickthanks, as you politely call them, that I never spoke to the person who accused you. Mr. Lacy did, and will inform you of the whole. When you know and see the person in question, you may deliver your own messages, for I have too much to do to trouble myself about these matters. Your assertion, thatneither you nor your abilities, &c., have had a smile of favour from me, has no foundation; for everybody who knows me, knows that I have always given you your due, as a man of genius, but at the same time I had no great reason to applaud your behaviour to me. I never ill-treated a man of genius in my life, and I was so far from returning ill-will towards you, that I agreed, contrary to my judgment, and against all rules of reason and policy, that you should make new prices at our theatre for your Oratorio. Therefore you will be much at a loss to particularise theill-treatmentyou mentioned; nor know I of any transactions between us, but your indulging us with an engagement with Mr. Fawcett, when you entered into articles with the other house for Miss Brent.

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