PREFACE TO THE FIFTH VOLUME. In spite of the satirist's assertion, that "next to singing, the most foolish thing Is gravely to harangue on what we sing,” I shall yet venture to prefix to this Volume a few introductory pages, not relating so much to the Songs which it contains as to my own thoughts and recollections respecting songwriting in general. The close alliance known to have existed between poetry and music, during the infancy of both these arts, has sometimes led to the conclusion that they are essentially kindred to each other, and that the true poet ought to be, if not practically, at least in taste and ear, a mu V.5 766942 sician. That such was the case in the early times of ancient Greece, and that her poets then not only set their own verses to music, but sung them at public festivals, there is every reason, from all we know on the subject, to believe. A similar union between the two arts attended the dawn of modern literature, in the twelfth century, and was, in a certain degree, continued down as far as the time of Petrarch, when, as it appears from his own memorandums, that poet used to sing his verses, in composing them*; and when it was the custom with all writers of sonnets and canzoni to prefix to their poems a sort of key-note, by which the intonation in reciting or chanting them was to be regulated. As the practice of uniting in one individual, The following is a specimen of these memorandums, as given by Foscolo: ;- "I must make these two verses over again, singing them, and I must transpose them — 3 o'clock, A. M. 19th October." Frequently to sonnets of that time such notices as the following were prefixed: - - Intonatum per Fran9966 Scriptor dedit sonum.' cum -whether Bard, Scald, or Troubadour, - the character and functions both of musician and poet, is known to have been invariably the mark of a rude state of society, so the gradual separation of these two callings, in accordance with that great principle of Political Economy, the division of labour, has been found an equally sure index of improving civilisation. So far, in England, indeed, has this partition of workmanship been carried, that, with the signal exception of Milton, there is not to be found, I believe, among all the eminent poets of England, a single musician. It is but fair, at the same time, to acknowledge, that out of the works of these very poets might be produced a select number of songs, surpassing, in fancy, grace, and tenderness, all that the language, perhaps, of any other country could furnish. We witness, in our own times, -as far as the knowledge or practice of music is concerned, —a similar divorce between the two arts; and my friend and neighbour, Mr. Bowles, is the |