■■.:tfW[™iKift;u«tf*>JM/*trjfi:m.w/AifJir,^'rt^;W(':titAityriw.iMfiw^ 
 
CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT 
 FUND GIVEN IN 189I BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 MUSIC LIBRARY 
 
Cornell University Library 
 ML 80.S52R71 
 
 The handbook of Shakespeare music belni 
 
 3 1924 022 244 077 
 
'¥2 
 
 Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022244077 
 
THE 
 
 HANDBOOK 
 
 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC, 
 
 BEING 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY 
 PIECES OF MUSIC 
 
 SET TO WORDS TAKEN FROM THE PLAYS AND POEMS 
 
 OF 
 
 SHAKESPEARE, 
 
 THE COMPOSITIONS- RANGING FROM THE ELIZABETHAN AGE TO THE 
 
 PRESENT TIME. 
 
 By THE LATE ALFRED ROFFE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 CHATTO & WINDUS, 74 and 75, PICCADILLY. 
 
 1878. 
 E.V. 
 
A. 'io'^t-o-j] 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED BY WATERLOW BROS, and LAYTON, 
 
 BIRCHIN l.ANE AND LIME STREET, EX. 
 
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 
 
 The followmg pages were compiled by the late Mr. Alfred Roffe, an 
 intelligent and enthusiastic student of Shakespeare and of music. He 
 finished the work^-a labour of love which had occupied very many of 
 his leisure hours — about twelve years ago, when the MSS. passed into 
 my hands. I had been unable, owing to incessant occupation, to pay 
 much attention to it until recently, when, after more careful perusal, it 
 occurred to me and to some other old friends of the author whom I 
 had an opportunity of consulting, that the volume might possibly be 
 welcomed as a useful and interesting addition to many Shakespearian 
 libraries. Hence its publication. It may be as well to add that I 
 have, in no respect, assumed the functions of an editor. The text and 
 arrangement of the writer have been strictly adhered to, and I have 
 made no attempt to verify his authorities ; a task which, knowing so 
 thoroughly the scrupulous accuracy of my late friend, I should have 
 considered needless, even had I possessed sufficient time and aptitude 
 for its accomplishment. 
 
 A. J. WATERLOW. 
 
 25, Park Crescent, 
 May, 1879. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Amongst all the various tributes paid to Shakespeare's memory, 
 there might surely be very good reasons, some day at least, for an 
 UNIFORM EDITIQN OF ALL THE MUSIC composed to his Poetry being 
 made one of those tributes ! In such a work as I am here looking 
 forward to, it is conceived to be a sine qua non that everything should 
 be reproduced in its original form, whether that might be the. full 
 score, or the simple air, with only its bass. For the sake, however, of 
 that pleasure which more ready perusal can give, it might certainly be 
 allowed to replace any notation which is now obsolete, or nearly, so, 
 with that in modern use. 
 
 A pianoforte arrangement shbuld be added in the case of com- 
 positions which have a full score ; and a third line, with the chords 
 filled in, should be added in the case of airs which have only a simple 
 bass in their original form. 
 
 • As copyright would prevent the collector of " Shakespeare 
 Music " from proceeding beyond a certain point, he should always 
 note down at the end of his collection whatever he may know of the 
 Shakespearian music of his own time, as a help to future brother- 
 collectors. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The present little volume is put forth simply as an instalrnent of 
 
 some means, at least, towards the accomplishment of the ends above 
 
 indicated. 
 
 A. R., 1867. 
 
 N.B. — To save interruptions in the body of the work, I here place 
 a few notes as to persons mentioned in it : — 
 
 I. Mr. John Caulfield. — His collection is often referred to, and I 
 think it well, in his case, to give his title-page, and a portion of his 
 preface. The title-page runs thus : — " A Collection of the Vocal 
 Music in Shakespeare's Plays, including the whole of the Songs, 
 Duets, Glees, Choruses, &c. Engraved from original MS. and early 
 printed copies ; chiefly from the collection of William Kitchiner, M.D. 
 Revised and arranged, with an Accompaniment for .the Pianoforte, 
 by Mr. Addison, and most respectfully dedicated to the Hon. Mrs. 
 George Wrottesley. — By John Caulfield." 
 
 Here is the portion alluded to of Mr. Caulfield's preface : — - 
 
 " There are to be found dispersed in various plays, short passages in verse that 
 manifestly require to be sung. These snatches, as it were, are left to the discretion of the 
 performer or manager; but from time immemorial, beautiful old melodies, eminently 
 adapted to each occasion, have been adopted, but were never before collected or 
 published. 
 
 " The compiler of this work took up the subject upwa,rds of sixty years ago,«iwhen 
 connected with the trade as music-seller, and also with the theatre. Numerous inr fe 
 were made of him for the music that was sung in so captivating a manner by Mrs. Jordan, ''*' 
 as Ophelia. 
 
 " It was traditional, but never published, and under those circumstances he was 
 inclined to endeavour to write out the melodies by the ear — ^which Mrs. Jordan herself 
 was kind enough to listen to, and approve — when, with the addition of a bass by Dr. 
 Arnold, it was published, and met with a success that led to the idea of compiling all 
 the similar adaptations, with the rest of, the music of Shakespeare's plays. Materials 
 were eagerly sought for, and the. aid of the leading eminent performers of that period 
 solicited, for these extra passages, and in all cases, freely given. 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 " Circumstances, however, led to the labour, thus warmly bestowed in former times, 
 having been subsequently neglected ; and it is only now, in his very old age, that he has 
 resumed and completed his pleasurable task." 
 
 2. Mr. William Chappell has published two works ; the first 
 entitled, " A Collection of National English Airs," &c., 2 vols. 4to., 
 1838-40 ; and the second, " Popular Music of the Olden Time," &c., 2 
 vols. 8vo., 1 855- 1 859. 
 
 3. Mr. Thomas Hutchinson. — The name of this composer occurs 
 several times in the ensuing pages. From the prefatory notice to his 
 collection of vocal music (1807), he appears to have been an amateur. 
 Several of his compositions are very pleasing. These words are from 
 Mr. Hutchinson's concluding sentence : — 
 
 " Music, though not professionally exercised by the author, has long formed his study 
 and delight." 
 
 4, Mr. William Linley. — Whenever this gentleman's name is 
 mentioned, it is in reference to his happily conceived work, entitled 
 " The Dramatic Songs of Shakespeare." 
 
 T 
 
 3- Mr. John Christopher Smith. — Mr. Smith was the friend of 
 Handel, and is always mentioned here in reference to his " Fairies," 
 , which was, in fact, an operatised " Midsummer Night's Dream," and 
 also his operatised " Tempest." 
 
 The following collection contains particulars of the music con- 
 tained in or connected with Twenty-three of Shakespeare's plays ; 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 and also with his poems — that is, the " Sonnets," " The Passionate 
 Pilgrim," and the " Venus and Adonis." 
 
 Any mention of the music commonly known as " Locke's Music in 
 Macbeth," is, of purpose, omitted in this " Handbook," on account of 
 its being, in no proper sense of the word, " Shakespeare Music." To 
 enter into any detail concerning it would therefore be quite apart from 
 our present work, but it is wished to mark distinctly why the omission 
 exists. 
 
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL., 
 
 Act I. Scene 3. Rousillon. A room in the Countess' s palace. Enter 
 Countess, Steward, and Clown. 
 
 " Countess {to the Clown]. 
 
 Get you gone, sir ; I'll talk with you more anon. 
 Steward. May it please you, madam, that he bid Helen come to you; of her I 
 am to speak. 
 
 Countess. Sirrah, tell my gentlewoman, I would speak with her ; fJelen, I mean. 
 Clown \jinging\. 
 
 Was this fair face the cause, quoth she, 
 
 Why the Greciaris sacked Troy ? 
 Fond done, done fond. 
 
 Was this king Priam's joy ? 
 With that she sighed as she stood. 
 With that she sighed as she stood. 
 
 And gave this sentence then ■ 
 Among nine bad, if one be good. 
 Among nine bad, if one be good, 
 
 There's yet one good in ten." 
 
 Of this, the one song in " All's Well that Ends Well," Mr. Linley 
 observes that — 
 
 " It is probable that there was an original setting of the Clown's song in this play, 
 as the words would lose much of their point without the aid of music." 
 
 However this may be, I have not, any more than Mr. Linley him- 
 self, met with any such setting. He has accordingly set the words 
 
2 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 himself. Of the original setting, Mr. Linley suggests that it might 
 have been 
 
 " Something in the tripping- style that the author has ventured to express them in." 
 
 N.B.^Immediately before the above quoted dialogue we find 
 these lines for the Clown : — 
 
 " For I the ballad will repeat, 
 
 Which men full true shall find ; 
 Your marriage comes by destiny, 
 Your cuckoo sings by kind." 
 
 To these lines I find no notes, and we cannot tell absolutely 
 whether they were intended to be said or sung. They are not noticed 
 by Mr. Linley, who doubtless considered them as being only spoken. 
 
 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. 
 
 Act II. Scene 7. On board Pompey'S Galley lying near MiSENUM. 
 A Banquet. A Senet Sounded. Enter C^SAR, ANTONY, 
 PoMPEY, Lepidus, Agrippa, Meccenas, Enobarbus, Menas, 
 with other Captains. 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Come, thou monarch of the vine, 
 Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eyne ; 
 In thy vats our cares be drown'd 
 With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd ; 
 Cup us, till the world go round ; 
 Cup us, till the world go round." 
 
 In noting down whatever I have been able to collect as to settings 
 of the splendid Bacchanalian song, " Come, thou monarch of the vine," 
 I shall begin with Mr. Linley's prefatory notice respecting it. 
 
 " The author has a faint recollection of having seen the words, ' Come, thou monarch 
 of the vine,' set as a glee ; but after the most diligent inquiry, he has not been able to 
 
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. 3 
 
 trace it in " Warren," or in any of the old collections. Agreeably to Enobarbus's instruc- 
 tions, it is introduced in the present volume as a solo and chorus. The words are written 
 in the Bacchanalian style, and with a spirit which demands a corresponding energy from 
 the music not very easy to supply." 
 
 Concerning the particular composition to which Mr. Linley 
 alludes, as having a "faint recollection" of seeing it, I am not able to 
 furnish even the presumptive evidence of any setting in the glee form 
 prior to his time ; but it is quite cfertain that " Come, thou monarch " has 
 had at least two settings before Mr. Linley's time, of which fact he 
 apparently could not have been aware. .One of these settings was the 
 composition of Mr. Thomas Chilcpt, of Bath, and its date may be 
 supposed to be about 1750. It is a solo, and would seem to be 
 •intended for a tenor voice. Strangely enough, as it must seem to 
 everyone, of the five lines of poetry which constitute Shakespeare's 
 song, Mr. Chilcot has thought fit to set only /our, omitting the last one, 
 —"Cup us till the world goes round." Curious pranks certainly has 
 Shakespeare had played with his works ! The next composition to be 
 noticed furnishes us with an instance of what may be termed' a prank 
 antithetical to the above. However, before finally quitting Mr. Chilcot's 
 strange whim, it may be noted that his song has been reprinted in Mr. 
 Caulfield's "Collection" with the composer's name omitted! But 
 completeness in anything is not to be looked for. The composer had 
 dropped out (designedly) Shakespeare's line — one incompleteness ; 
 and the collector has, (undesignedly)' dropped out the composer's 
 name — another incompleteness ! "and thereby hangs a tale." 
 
 And now for the prank antithetical just alluded to. From the 
 prefatory advertisement to an edition of the play, described as 
 ^'■Antony and Cleopatra, fitted for the stage by abridging only," and 
 published in 1759, it appears that " Come, thou monarch " must have 
 been then set, and sung upon the stage, for in this advertisement 
 we are gravely told that " the song at p. 39 being thought too short, 
 an addition was made to it in rehearsal." Accordingly, Shakespeare's 
 
4 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 five lines are now Increased to ten, and thus the great poet is again 
 set to rights. I have not been able to find out whether the setting in 
 question was ever published, or by whom it was composed. As to 
 the increase of the five lines into ten, thus has it been managed. 
 The whole seems to be a compound of Shakespeare and Garrick, perhaps 
 with a little dash of Milton. 
 
 I. 
 
 " Come, thou monarch of the vine, 
 Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eyne ; 
 Time it is to cheer the soul 
 Made by thy enlarging bowl 
 Free from wisdom's fond control, 
 Burthen. Free from wisdom's fond control. 
 
 II. 
 " Monarch come, and with thee bring 
 Tipsy dance and revelling ; 
 In' thy vats our cares be drown'd, 
 With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd, 
 Cup us till the world 'goes round, 
 Burthen. Cup us till the world goes round." 
 
 The instructions of Enobarbus, to which we have seen Mr. Linley 
 
 allude, are as following : — 
 
 " All take hands. 
 Make battery to our ears with the loud music ; 
 The while, I'll place you. Then the boy shall sing. 
 The holdirig every man shall bear as loud 
 As his strong sides can volley." 
 
 \Music plays. Enobarbus places them hand in hand.~\ 
 
 The instructions of Enobarbus Mr. Linley has placed as the 
 heading to his own very agreeable and spirited composition, which is 
 perhaps the only one representing, musically, Shakespeare's poetry 
 and stage directions — that is, the only one treated as a soprano solo 
 with a chorus of male voices. 
 
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. 5 
 
 In our own time Sir Henry Bishop has set " Come, thou monarch 
 of the vine " for the stage ; that is, for introduction, I believe, into the 
 operatised performance of " The Comedy of Errors/^ This com- 
 position (at least as printed) appears as a chorus in three parts, for 
 male voices only, with an intimation to the effect, that when sung 
 with an accompaniment the first twelve bars may be performed as a 
 solo ,by a tenor voice. This chorus is a very bold and inspiriting 
 composition. 
 
 In the " Shakespeare Album'' (1862), Sir Henry's work reappears' 
 in a new form. Instead of being for male voices only, and in three 
 parts, it is removed from the original key of D into that of C, and 
 now becomes arranged for soprano, contralto, tenor, and bass — soli 
 and chorus. This arrangement is stated to have been " expressly 
 made " for the " Shakespeare Album," and certainly answers a want. 
 
 In this " Shakespeare Album " we also find a setting of the song 
 for a baritone voice, and with the name of Schubert attached to it. It 
 is not without merit, but surely, as far as Shakespeare is concerned, 
 much too short, and accordingly it is eked out, both in the German 
 and the English (for the words in both languages are , given) with a 
 second verse ! It is very strange that composers cannot bring them- 
 selves to elaborate their own music to the splendid words of the 
 original, and thereby gain the requisite length for their composition, 
 instead of resorting to this expedient of an additional verse ! 
 
 In the year 1863, " Come, thou monarch of the vine " was 
 announced as having been both set and sung by Mr. WeisSj the bass 
 smger. 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. 
 
 Act II. Scene 5. The Forest of Arden. Enter Amiens, Jaques, and 
 others. 
 
 Song. 
 " Amiens. Under the greenwood tree, 
 Who loves to lie with me ? 
 And tune his rnerry note 
 Unto the sweet bird's throat, 
 Come hither, come hither, come hither ; 
 Here shall he see 
 No enemy. 
 But winter and rough weather." 
 
 Before I speak for myself as to the music belonging to the 
 
 beautiful pastoral now in question, I wish to let Mr. Linley be heard. 
 
 The following are his words respecting the music for Amiens in 
 
 " As you like it " : — 
 
 " In this charming play of our immortal bard he has introduced several songs, two 
 of which have been delightfully set by the late Dr. Arne. Of both these pieces the Doctor 
 has omitted to notice some of the words ; a circumstance greatly to be regretted, and 
 difficult to be accounted fot. The first song, ' Under the greenwood tree,' is in the play 
 followed by a chorus, ' Who doth ambition shun,' which could not so well have been sung 
 to the opening strain, but how easily, and with what superior characteristic effect could he 
 not have proceeded with the chorus in question." 
 
 Dr. Arne's felicitous setting of Amiens' first song, " Under the 
 greenwood tree," is of course well known to everyone who cares for 
 Shakespeare and for music. If had at first seemed to me, as to Mr. 
 Linley^ singular that the Doctor had not included the words " Who 
 doth ambition shun'' in his composition — setting them to another, or 
 varied strain, of course ; but it has since occurred to me, that at all 
 events it does not follow but that the Doctor may have composed 
 " Who doth ambition shun " as a chorus, following the stage direction 
 of " All together here," and yet that it may never have been printed. 
 All who are interested in old opera and oratorio music know how 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. 7 
 
 unmercifully choruses and recitatives are left unprinted. It must also 
 be remembered that there is a certain amount of most characteristic 
 dialogue, which takes place between the close of Amiens' song and the 
 introduction of the chorus. This dialogue I should now like to give, 
 both for its own sake and as showing that, in the drama, " Under the 
 greenwood tree," and " Who doth ambition shun " are really two 
 distinct pieces. 
 
 " Jaques. More, more, I pr'ythee, more. 
 
 Amiens. It will make you melancholy, Monsieur Jaques. 
 
 Jaques. I'thank it. More, I pr'ythee, more. I can suck melancholy out of a song, 
 as a weasel sucks eggs. More, I pr'ythee, more. 
 
 Amiens. My voice is ragged ; I know I cannot please you. 
 
 Jaques. I do not desire you to please me ; I do desire you to sing ; come, more ; 
 another stanza ; call you them stanzas ? 
 
 Amiens. What you will, Monsieur Jaques. 
 
 Jaques. Nay, I care not for their names ; they owe'me nothing. Will you sing ? 
 
 Amjens. More at your request, thari to please myself. 
 
 Jaques. Well then, if ev6r I thank any man, I'll thank you ; but that they call 
 compliment is like the encounter of two dog-apes ; and when a man thanks me heartily, 
 methinks I have given him a penny, and he renders me the beggarly thanks. Come, 
 sing ; and you that will not, hold your tongues. 
 
 Amiens. I'll end the song. Sirs, cover the while ; the duke will drink under this 
 tree ; he hath been all this day to look you. 
 
 Jaques. And I have been- all this day to avoid him. He is too disputable for my 
 company. I think of as many matters as he ; but I give heaven thanks, iind make no 
 boast of them. Come, warble, come." 
 
 Observe here the expression used by Jaques, " Come, sing ; and 
 you that will not, hold your tongues." From this it plainly seems that 
 Jaques looks for a chorus ; and although Amiens replies, " I'll end 
 the song," that would merely relate to the fact that he is the leader of 
 the rest — the solo singer whenever, not merely a song, is required, but 
 also the little piece of solo requirement which often belongs to a chorus. 
 
 The want which in this case Mr. Linley felt, he has in some 
 
 measure supplied, so far as his own work was concerned,, by composing 
 
 music to the words, " Who doth ambition shun," as a chorus to follow 
 
 D 
 
O SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 at once upon Dr. Arne's song. Still the dramatic effect is not attained, 
 as Mr. Linley has written his chorus for first and second sopranos and 
 bass (with a view to performance in the drawing-room only), and not 
 for male voices entirely, as required by the stage situation. 
 
 Dr. Arne's melody has been arranged as a glee for four male 
 voices, by Sir Henry Bishop, and in that form was introduced into the 
 operatised " Comedy of Errors." 
 
 In Mr. W. Chappell's work is a simple air to the words of Amiens' 
 song, and there is a little three-voiced " Under the greenwood tree," 
 in a book of vocal compositions by Maria Hester Park (date, about 
 1790). Lastly, as far as I at present know, there is a very elaborate 
 setting of the song (including the words, " Who doth ambition shun") 
 by Mr. Stafford Smith, 1792. The first soprano part of this compo- 
 sition, which is a glee for four voices, is of a somewhat florid character, 
 and the glee altogether is one which, I doubt not, if it were skilfully 
 performed, would give much pleasure to the Shakespearian musician. 
 
 Act II. Scene 7. The Forest of Arden. A table set out. Enter 
 Duke senior, Amiens, Lords and others. 
 
 "Duke. Give us some music ; and, good cousin, sing. 
 [Amiens sings]. 
 
 Song. 
 I. 
 " Blow, blow, thou winter wind, 
 Thou art not so unkind, 
 
 As man's ingratitude ; 
 Thy tooth is not so keen 
 Because thou art not seen 
 
 Although thy breath be rude. 
 Heigh, ho ! sing, heigh, ho ! unto the green holly ; 
 Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly ; 
 Then heigh, ho ! the holly 
 This life is most jolly. 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. 
 
 II. 
 
 " Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky. 
 Thou dost not bite so nigh 
 
 As benefits forgot ; 
 Though thou the waters warp, 
 Thy sting is riot so sharp 
 As friend remember'd not. 
 Heigh, ho ! sing, heigh, ho ! unto the green holly ; 
 Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly ; 
 Then heigh, ho ! the holly ! 
 This life is most jolly.'' 
 
 Dr. Arne's beautiful setting of Amiens' song, " Blow, blow, 
 thou winter wind," is of course known to everyone. who thinks of 
 Shakespeare and music. It does, however, really seem somewhat 
 singular that the Doctor should have omitted to set the burthen, 
 " Heigh, ho ! the holly," &c. It cannot but be considered as a great 
 mistake not to have set the poem entire. Mr. Linley has remarked; 
 upon the fact of this omission, and has accordingly composed the 
 music himself for the burthen, and has added it to Dr. Aij^ne's melody. 
 Mr. Linley^ as I imagine, has executed his self-imposed task very 
 felicitously, and it can hardly be conceived that anyone, after hearing 
 the song with Mr. Linley's addition, would ever desire to h-ear the 
 Doctor's beautiful melody without Shakespeare's "Heigh, ho! the 
 holly," as made musical by Mr. Linley. 
 
 N.B. — Any baritone desirous of singing Amiens' song, with 
 Mr. Linley's added, " Hejgh, ho ! the hoHy," will find the whole flow 
 on very pleasantly by transposition into the key of E b, which will then 
 make the highest note fall upon the upper F. 
 
 Mr. R. J. Stevens has set Amiens' song in its entirety as a four- 
 voiced glee, for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, producing a very attrac- 
 tive composition of its kind ; and Sir Henry Bishop, having harmonised 
 Dr. Arne's air for four male voices (to be introduced into the operatised 
 
lO SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 " Comedy of Errors)," has added, with the proper acknowledgment to 
 Mr. Stevens, the burthen from his glee. In this case Sir Henry has 
 raised the key from Bb, the original key, as sung by Mr. Lowe (at 
 least according to the printed copy), to C, so as to use an alto voice 
 for the melody, accompanied by two tenors and a bass. Of Dr. Arne's 
 melody strictly, there is ariother arrangement, as a glee for four male 
 voices, by the eminent glee composer John Danby. In this case the 
 original key is retained, so that the glee might be called one for three 
 tenors and a bass. 
 
 In a collection of vocal music composed by Samuel Webbe, the 
 younger, published about 1830, will be found an elaborate setting, 
 as a glee for five voices, of Amiens' song, complete, as written by 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 There is a setting of this song by the Hon. Mrs. Dyce Sombre. 
 This is a slow air (in the key of D), and suitable for either contralto 
 or baritone, or indeed for any voice, the compass being* only from the 
 lower C J to D. The melody is simple, and not without a certain 
 feeling, however remote from the merits of that by Dr. Arne. The 
 burthen, " Heigh, ho! the holly," is omitted. 
 
 There is also a setting of Amiens' song by Agnes Zimmerman, 
 which I find reviewed in the Athenceum for June the 27th, 1863. Not 
 having seen this setting myself, I must transcribe the words of the 
 critic, who, of this and of another composition by Miss Zimmerman, is 
 pleased to write that they " go far to justify the reputation gained by 
 this young lady in the Royal Academy." The critic then goes on to 
 give his view, that — 
 
 " There is a certain ungraciousness of character in the Shakespeare song, referable, 
 no doubt, to the words; but be it right, be it wrong, we prefer Arne's rendering. The 
 mixture of melancholy, melody and freshness in his setting is almost unparagoned in the 
 library of Shakespeare songs." 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. II 
 
 The latest setting of " Blow, blow, thou winter wind " that I have 
 heard of is one published in 1865 by Messrs. Addison & Lucas. It is 
 as a " part-song," and is composed by R. Schachner. 
 
 Act IV. Scene 2. The Forest. Enter Jaques and Lords, in the 
 habit of foresters. 
 
 " Jaques. Which is he that kill'd the deer ? 
 
 First Lord. Sir, it was I. 
 
 Jaques. Let's present him to' the duke, like a Roman conqueror ; and it would do well 
 to set the deer's horns upon his Jiead, for a branch of victory. Have )'ou no song, forester, 
 for this purpose ? 
 
 Second Lord. Yes, sir. 
 
 Jaques. Sing it ; 'tis no matter how it be in tune, so it make noise enough. 
 
 Song. 
 " I. What shall he have that kill'd the deer ? 
 2. His leather skin, and horns to wear. 
 Take thou no scorn, to wear the horn ; 
 It was a crest ere thou wast born. 
 
 1 . Thy father's father wore it ; 
 
 2. And thy father bore it. 
 
 All. The horn, the horn, the lusty horn, 
 Is not a thing to laugh to scorn. 
 
 Then sing him home." 
 
 The earliest setting of the above song and chorus which I can 
 find is one by John Hilton (of about the year 1652), as a round for the 
 singular, and, as it must be admitted, not very pleasing combination 
 of four bass voices. The composition by Hilton is reproduced in Mr. 
 Charles Knight's " Shakespeare," with a note (of which I propose 
 to avail myself), particularly a propos to the question of the burthen, 
 which seems to involve certain differences of opinion, as I shall pro- 
 ceed to show. Here follows the note referred to : — 
 
 " The music to this song is from a curious and very rare work, entitled ' Catch that 
 Catch can, or a choice collection of Catches, Rounds, ^c, collected and published by yohn 
 
 E 
 
12 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Hilton, Batch, in Musicke, 1652,' and is there called a catch, though, as in the case of many 
 other compositions of the kind so denominated, it is a round, having no catch or play upon 
 the words to give it any claim to the former designation. It is written for four basses; but 
 
 by transposition for other voices would be rather improved than damaged 
 
 In Hilton's round, the brief line, " Then sing him home," is rejected. The omission was 
 unavoidable in. a round for four voices, because in a composition of such limit, and so 
 arranged, it was necessary to give one couplet, and neither more nor less, to each part., 
 But it is doubtful whether that line really forms part of the original text. Printed as 
 one line we have — 
 
 " ' Then sing him home, the rest shall bear this burthen,' 
 without any variation of type. Is the whole line a stage-direction .? ' Then sing him home ' 
 may be a direction for a stage procession.'' 
 
 So far from Mr. Knight's note. To me it appears .more likely, that, 
 although thus printed in one line, the words " Then sing him home " 
 are a part of the song ; and the words, " The rest shall bear this bur- 
 then," only a stage-directiort. So the matter must have appeared to 
 , Mr. Linley, as we shall presently see. Mr. John Stafford Smith having 
 set "What shall he have that kill'd the deer?" as a ^lee for alto, two 
 tenors and bass, had omitted the burthen in question. This compo- 
 sition Mr. Linley has transferred to his work, adapting it, however, for 
 two sopranos and a bass, apologising, at the same time, for a liberty 
 which he has taken — no other than that of introducing a strain to this 
 very burthen, " Then sing him home ;" which, observes Mr. Linley, 
 whether by accident or design, Mr. Smith has not taken notice of. 
 Mr. Linley also adds this remark concerning the words of this 
 burthen : — 
 
 " It is certainly difficult to conceive why they were omitted, if they were designedly 
 so, as they are surely as strikingly characteristic as any in the whole song." 
 
 We should have, most probably, quite a large majority of persons 
 in full agreement with Mr. Linley upon the above question. Sir Henry 
 Bishop has evidently inclined that way, and has written, for the 
 " Comedy of Errors," in his very effective and dramatic style, a setting 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. 13 
 
 of " What shall he have that kill'd the deer," with the words, " Then 
 sing him home " included. They are not, however, treated strictly as 
 a burthen, but are wrought into the centre of the composition. 
 
 Of this work by Sir Henry Bishop, which is in E b, and for men's 
 voices only, in four parts, it may be noted that in the " Shakespeare 
 Album " it is reproduced, but transposed into A b, and ,arranged for 
 soprano, contralto, tenor and bass, soH and chorus. 
 
 There is a composition by Henry Carey, called " The Huntsman's 
 Song," in " Love in a Forest," which composition is a setting of Shake- 
 speare's song, with an alteration, surely not an improvement, of certain 
 words in the original. The lines — 
 
 " It was a crest 'ere thou wast born, 
 Thy father's father wore it, 
 And thy father bore it." 
 
 undergo a transformation into — 
 
 " It was the crest thy father wore, 
 Thy father's father long before." 
 
 This composition by Carey, as printed, is on only two lines, the 
 one vocal and the other a simple bass. There appears no symphony, 
 either for the introduction or the close, and ho parts are given for the 
 chorus, which is. merely indicated by the word " Chorus." In the 
 British Museum Library Catalogue, the date of 1730 is attributed to 
 this piece of music, but the play, " Love in a Forest," in which it was 
 sung — a vile alteration of " As you like it," by Charles Johnson — was 
 produced at Drury Lane in January, 1723, and no doubt this is the 
 same piece of music of which mention may be found in an advertise- 
 ment for a benefit at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, upon Tuesday, 
 the 1 2th of May, in that year, wherein we are promised — 
 
 " Several Entertainments of Singing and Dancing, particularly a Song on the Death 
 
14 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 of a Stag, The words by Shakespeare, set to Music by Mr. Henry Carey, and sung by 
 Mr. Ray, accompanied by French Horns, concluding with a Dance of Foresters." 
 
 There is a three-part composition to this hunting-song, by Dr. 
 PhiHp Hayes. It is in a simple style and I think has not the burthen, 
 which is given by Mr. Carey. 
 
 There is also in Warren's collection a setting of this song, by 
 Mr. R. J. Steyens, with the burthen. There is an interpolation of a 
 word which it is difficult to see the reason of — " And thy father wore 
 it," is changed into " And thy own father wore it." The composition 
 is for four male voices. 
 
 Act V. Scene 3. The Forest of Arden. Enter TOUCHSTONE and 
 Audrey. 
 
 " Touchstone. To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey ; to-morrow will we be married. 
 Audrey. I do desire it with all my heart : and I hope it is no- dishonest desire, to 
 desire to be a woman of the world. Here come two of the banished Duke's pages." 
 
 Enter two Pages. 
 
 First Page. Well met, honest gentleman. 
 Touchstone. By my troth, well met ; coriie, sit, sit, and a song. 
 Second Page. We are for you ; sit i'the middle. 
 
 First Page. Shall we clap into't roundly, without hawkirig, or spitting, or saying we 
 are hoarse, which are the only prologues to a bad voice .? 
 
 Second Page. I'faith, i'faith ; and both in a tune, like two gipsies on a horse. 
 
 Song. 
 
 It was a lover and his lass. 
 
 With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino. 
 That o'er the green corn-field did pass. 
 
 In spring-time the only pretty ring time. 
 When birds do sing,' hey ding a ding, ding ; 
 Sweet lovers love the spring. 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. 1 5 
 
 n. 
 Arid therefore take the present time, 
 
 With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino ; 
 For Love is crowned with the prime, 
 
 In spring-time, the only pretty ring time, 
 When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding ; 
 Sweet lovers love the spring. 
 
 III. 
 Between the acres of the rye. 
 
 With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino. 
 These pretty country-folks would lie 
 
 In spring-time, the only pretty ring time. 
 When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding ; 
 Sweet lovers love the spring. 
 
 ' IV. 
 
 The carol 'they began that hour. 
 
 With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino. 
 
 How that life was but a flower. 
 
 In spring-tinie, the only pretty ring time. 
 
 When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding ; 
 
 Sweet lovers love the spring." 
 
 " It was a Lover and his Lass" will be found very excellently set 
 as a solo in Mr. Chappell's work. Mr. Charles Knight; in his " Shake- 
 speare," has reproduced this setting, and in a note, which I shall here 
 transcribe, gives us its history : — 
 
 " In the Signet Office Library at Edinburgh, is a MS. in 4to, formerly in the posses- 
 sion of Mr. Heber, containing many songs set to music, and among them the following. It 
 seems quite clear that this manuscript cannot have been written later than sixteen years after 
 the publication of the present play, and may have existed at a much earlier period. It is, 
 therefore, not straining probability too hard to suppose that the air here inserted was, in 
 some form — most likely as a duet, unless the two pages sang in unison — performed in the 
 play either as this was originally acted, or not long after its production. But whether our 
 conjecture — and only as such we offer it — ^be well or ill-founded, there can be no doubt that 
 the composition is one of those which, in musical chronology, is classed as ancient." 
 
 It was on a Shakespeare Day, at the Crystal Palace (April 23rd, 
 
 F 
 
l6 ' SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 1859), that I heard Mr. Wilbye Cooper sing this ancient composition, 
 to the very evident gratification of the whole audience. An amateur 
 musical friend of my own, who, unknown to me, was amongst the 
 listeners upon that day, being struck, like others, with the compo- 
 sition, and not being aware whence it came, had begun a music-shop 
 inquiry after it, which inquiry, of course,, proved to be a failure. My 
 friend, a few days afterwards, telling me of his fruitless search, I was 
 able to give him an agreeable surprise by informing him that he was 
 already in possession of what he sought for. In short, I knew that the 
 song which Mr. Wilbye Cooper had sung was in Mr. Chappell's collec- 
 tion, and I also knew that collection to be a part of my friend's musical 
 library. 
 
 Mr. Linley has set the poem, " It was a Lover and his Lass," as a 
 duet for the two pages, according to the situation in the play, at least 
 as understood by Mr. Linley; for it occurs to me as being very pos- 
 sible that Shakespeare contemplated a trio between the pages and 
 Touchstone, who, it may be observed, is the first to ask for a song, 
 and upon the pages making ready to comply. Touchstone is requested 
 to "sit i' the middle." It might also strike many that, granting 
 Touchstone and the pages personated by competent vocalists, the 
 dramatic effect of a trio would be very superior to that of a duet 
 
 Should an objection be raised to this view, grounded upon the 
 pages' ideas as to " clapping into it roundly," " both in a tune," that 
 objection, even if allowed, would not necessarily shut Touchstone out 
 from joining in the three lines common to every verse ^ and beginning 
 at " In the pretty spring-time." It would be most highly natural, as 
 well as dramatically effective, that Touchstone should do so. 
 
 Of the words now in question there is also a setting, as a glee, by 
 Mr. R. J. Stevens. This is one amongst that composer's favourite 
 pieces. Sir Henry Bishop has likewise a setting in the solo form, 
 
AS YOU LIKE IT. 1 7 
 
 which was sung by Miss M. Tree in the operatised " Comedy of 
 Errors:" 
 
 Lastly, as far as I yet know, I find in a catalogue a setting of 
 " It was a Lover and his. Lass " put down as a " part-song," composed 
 by S. Reay, in the year 1862 ; and again, another " part-song " setting, 
 by Mr. Edward Loder, is to be found in the programme of a perform- 
 ance at St. James's Hall on the 22nd of April, 1864. The date of the 
 composition itself I am not acquainted with. 
 
 Act V. Scene 4. , The Forest. Enter Hymen, leading Rosalind and 
 Celia. \_Still music]. 
 
 " Hymen. Then is there mirth in Heaven 
 When earthly things made even 
 
 Atone together. 
 Good duke, receive thy daughter, 
 Hymen from Heaven brought her, 
 
 Yea, brought her hither ; 
 That thou might'st join her hand with his, 
 Who heart within her bosom is." 
 
 Mr. Linley, after he has given the high praises due to Dr. Arne's 
 compositions for the songs of Amiens, goes on to assign his reasons 
 for not allowing this song for Hymen to appear at all in his work. 
 These are Mr. Linley's words, with a few italics of my own : — 
 
 " There is another song of Arne's introduced when this play is performed, which 
 Ijegins, "Then is there mirth in Heaven;" but iAe words are not Shakespeare's, neither 
 does the tune bear any comparison with the pastoral airiness and originality of the former 
 pieces." 
 
 For my own part I must say that I have never seen this assertion 
 as to the words not being Shakespeare' s anywhere else, and it is 
 sufficiently curious that Mr. Linley offers not the least authority for his 
 
1 8 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 assertion. He gives it forth, indeed, as if it were an admitted fact. 
 As to his remark upon Dr. Arne's setting of this Hymen song, as com- 
 pared with that of Amiens's song, no one would dispute its truth. 
 
 Hymen's song has been set not only by Dr. Arne but also (much 
 
 more happily, to my mind) by Sir Henry Bishop, whose composition I 
 
 heard sung, if not on the very first night of Sir Henry's operatised 
 
 " As you like it," yet not very far from the first. The song was most 
 
 attractively given by Master Longhurst, who personated Hymen ; and 
 
 had the audience been just then in my vein. Sir Henry's work would 
 
 certainly have obtained a call for its repetition. There are many 
 
 triplets in the composition, which were executed with a most agreeable 
 
 neatness. 
 
 * 
 
 After this song for Hymen about thirty lines of dialogue ensue, 
 
 which are followed by this final 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Wedding is great Juno's crown ; 
 
 blessed bond of board and bed ! 
 'Tis Hymen people's every town, 
 
 High wedlock then be honoured ; 
 Honour, high honour and renown, 
 To Hymen, god of every town." 
 
 Whether these words are meaint simply as a solo for Hymen, as a 
 chorus for all the characters, or as solo and chorus, does not clearly 
 appear. The latter arrangement, supposing all the necessary qualifica- 
 tions present, would perhaps be the most dramatically effective of all. 
 
 This song has been' set by Mr. Thomas Chilcot, whose work Mr. 
 Linley writes — 
 
 " He should have gladly introduced, had he found it in any degree expressive of the 
 sense of the words." 
 
 Mr. Linley considered it as being "too flippant for the dignity of the 
 
COMEDY OF ERRORS. 19 
 
 sentiments." He has therefore set the words himself, and no doubt 
 with infinite superiority. Mr. Linley further remarks thus : — 
 
 " The poetry, indeed, is not easy to set to appropriate music. The author has 
 modelled his own composition upon Handel's style, of which he thinks it will be con- 
 sidered a close imitation, but no better can be found, he thinks, to give any effect to' the 
 gratulatory, though serious sentiment conveyed in the nuptial god's blessing." 
 
 Mr. Chilcot's setting, which I have seen, I take to be of about 
 the year 1740. It is not at present in the British Museum Library of 
 Music ; at least, it is not to be found in the Catalogue. 
 
 COMEDY OF ERRORS. 
 
 Act II. Scene 2. A public place. Antipholus and Dromio of 
 Syracuse, Adriana and LUCIANA. 
 
 " LuciANA. Dromio, go bid the servants spread for dinner. 
 
 Dromio, O, for my beads ! I cross me for a sinner. 
 This is the fairy land ; — O, spite of spites ! 
 We talk with goblins, owls, and elvish sprites ; 
 If we obey them not, this will ensue. 
 They'll suck our breath, or pinch us black and blue." 
 
 These words have been set as a solo, apparently for a tenor voice, 
 by Dr. Kemp, in his " Illustrations of Shakespeare." I do not know of 
 any other piece of music taken from the " Comedy of Errors." 
 
20 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 CYMBELIN.E. 
 
 Act II. Scene 3. Without the Palace, under IMOGEN'S apartment. 
 Enter Cloten and Lords. 
 
 " Cloten. I would this music would come : I am advised to give her music 
 0' mornings ; they say it will penetrate. 
 
 Enter Musicians. 
 
 " Come on ; tune. If you can penetrate her with your fingering, so ; we'll try with 
 tongue, too : if none will do, let her remain ; but I'll never give o'er. First, a very excel- 
 lent good-conceited thing ; after, a wonderful sweet air, with admirable rich words to it ; — 
 and then let her consider." 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Hark ! hark ! the lark at Heaven's gate sings, 
 And Phoebus 'gins arise 
 His steeds to water at those springs 
 
 On chalic'd towers that lies ; 
 And winking Mary-buds begin to ope their golden eyes ; 
 With everything that pretty is — my lady sweet, arise : 
 Arise, arise." 
 
 Of this " Morning Song " in " Cymbeline/' by far the best-known 
 setting is certainly that by Dr. Benjamin Cooke, for four voices, 
 soprano, alto, tenor and bass, with some instrumental accompaniments. 
 This setting seems also to be the only one which fits exactly with the 
 scene as it stands in the play^ where we are certainly led to expect a 
 song in parts. 
 
 I have twice met with theatrical advertisements in which I have 
 no doubt that Dr. Cookers glee is the one alluded to. Thus, upon the 
 occasion of " Cymbeline " being revived at Covent Garden Theatre, in 
 May, 1792, it is announced that we are to have in the second act 
 the favourite glee, " Hark ! the lark at Heaven's gate sings." The 
 
CYMBELINE. 21 
 
 parts were evidently to be doubled^ at least, for no less than seven 
 names of singers are published, and amongst them we find such prin- 
 cipal favourites as Mrs. Mountain, Mrs. Martyr and Incledon. Again, 
 when Mrs. Pope has her benefit at Covent Garden, in May, 1800 (on 
 which occasion the lady is announced as appearing, for the first time, 
 as Imogen), we are promised in the second act the celebrated glee of 
 " Hark ! hark ! the lark at Heaven's gate sings." 
 
 Curiously etiough there are two solo settings of Cloten's " Morn- 
 ing Song," by German musicians. One of these settings is by Cursch- 
 man, and the other by Franz Schubert. They are both published in 
 London, with English and German words. Schubert's composition 
 is particularised by Mrs. Jameson, in her paper upon Miss Adelaide 
 Kemble, as being amongst the songs which were admirably performed 
 by that vocalist. 
 
 It often appeared to me very singular that I had never met with 
 any composition to the " Morning Song " by an EngHshman, except 
 the above-mentioned one by Dr. Cooke. However, within these few 
 years, I have seen two settings, both as solos, by Englishmen. One 
 was the composition of Mr. Thomas Chilcot, and would date some- 
 where about the middle of the last century. It is in the key of G, 
 and as I thought, at least looked pleasing, for I had no opportunity 
 of testing it experimentally. The second was the work of Theodore 
 Aylward, and was in two movements ; the first an andante, and the 
 next commencing at the words " With every thing that pretty is," 
 marked as " Spiritoso." This piece of music was apparently com- 
 posed for the theatre, being described as " sung by Mrs. Vincent in 
 ' Cymbeline.' " Its date would be about 1770. It is in the key of E b, 
 and requires a somewhat extensive and flexible voice for its execution, 
 ranging as it does from B b below the line to A b above it. It would 
 not be without a certain effect if given by a competent voice and in a 
 spirited style. 
 
22 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Act IV. Scene 2. The Dirge in Cymbeline. GuiDERlUS and 
 Arviragus, with Imogen. 
 
 Song. 
 
 " GuiDERius. Fear no more the heat 0' the sun, 
 Nor the furious winter's rages ; 
 Thou thy worldly task hast done, 
 
 Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages : 
 Golden lads and girls all must. 
 As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. 
 Arviragus. Fear no more the frown 0' the great, 
 Thou art past the tyrant's stroke ; 
 Care no more to clothe and eat ; 
 
 To thee the reed is as the oak : 
 The sceptre, learning, physic, must 
 All follow this, and come to dust. 
 GuiDERius. Fear no more the lightning flash ; 
 Arviragus. Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone ; 
 GuiDERius. Fear not slander, censure rash ; 
 Arviragus. Thou hast finished joy and moan : 
 Both. All lovers young, all lovers must. 
 
 Consign to thee, and come to dust. 
 GuiDERius. No exorciser harm thee ! 
 Arviragus. Nor no witchcraft charm thee ! 
 GuiDERius. Ghost unlaid forbear thee ! 
 Arviragus. Nothing ill come near thee ! 
 Both. Quiet consummation have ; 
 
 And renowned be thy grave ! " 
 
 Mr. Warren has given a list of Dr. Boyce's works remaining in 
 manuscript, and amongst these works is set down " The Dirge in 
 ' Cym.beHne.' " This Hst is in Mr. Warren's " Life of Dr. Boyce," in 
 an edition of the Doctor's Cathedral Music. In a note the editor 
 does, however, tell us that he believes this dirge to be in print. 
 
 For an anonymous (?) setting of the dirge see also Mr. Caulfield's 
 Collection. It is set as a solo in G major^ beginning largo. Then 
 
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. 23 
 
 it becomes an andante at the words " No exorciser harm thee," and 
 returns to the largo movement at the words "■ Quiet consummation 
 have." 
 
 I have also cursorily seen a setting by Dr. Arne, said to have 
 been " sung by Mr. Lowe." From a remark by Mr. Linley, I think it 
 likely that this particular, setting may have been seen by him ; if so, it 
 covers only a portion of Shakespeare's poem. 
 
 Dr. Nares had also set a portion of the dirge as a trio for equal 
 voices^ between Guiderius, Arviragus and Belarius. This I learn from 
 Mr. Linley, who in his work has inserted Dr. Nares' s composition, of 
 which he thinks very highly, only adding to it himself in order, as he 
 observes, "to supply the omission" made by Dr. Nares. 
 
 HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. 
 
 Act IL Scene 2. A Room in the Castle. The King, Queen, and 
 
 POLONIUS. 
 
 " PoLONius. I have a daughter ; have, whilst she is mine ; 
 Who, in her' duty and obedience, marlc ! 
 Hath given me this ; now gather, and surmise. 
 
 ' To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beautified Ophelia, — 
 
 That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase ; beautified is a vile phrase ; 
 but you shall hear. 
 ' These. In her excellent white bosom, these.' 
 Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her ? 
 PoLONius. Good madam, stay awhile ; I will be faithful ; - \_Reads. 
 
 ' Doubt thou, the stars are fire ; 
 
 Doubt, that the sun doth move : 
 Doubt truth to be a liar ; 
 But never doubt, I love.' " 
 
 H 
 
24 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Hamlet's letter to Ophelia has not been overlooked by the musical 
 composers^ as the following enumeration will most fully testify. The 
 earliest setting I as yet know is to be found in a collection of vocal 
 compositions by William Tindal, marked as " Opera 5," and the date 
 of which I should place as about i786(?) Here we have a solo 
 setting of Hamlet's letter, apparently for a tenor voice, with an accom- 
 paniment for flute, violin and violoncello. A second verse is added to 
 the original one, which second verse has not the same music as the 
 first ; consequently the composition is not finished to Shakespeare's 
 words. 
 
 Mr. R. J. Stevens, the well-known glee composer, in a collection 
 of ten songs, indicated as being " Opera 2," has set the letter in solo 
 form, with the accompaniment of two flutes, two violins and a bass. 
 The melody of this setting has been harmonised by Mr. Stevens him- 
 self^ who has made it an unaccompanied glee for four voices. 
 
 Somewhere about the year 1800 (?) appears a sblo setting by 
 Mr. James Fisin, In this instance a second verse is added^ but it is 
 used musically only for a middle movement. Shakespeare's words are 
 set as an affettuoso : the added verse is an andante, and then the 
 original words are repeated as a close, after the fashion of .the old da 
 capo. Another solo setting will be found in a volume of compositions 
 by Mr. Charles Dignum, a well-known tenor singer of the last age. In 
 this case, also, there is an additional verse, the words written by Dr. 
 Moore. 
 
 There is a piece of music which I think ought to be noted 
 here, although it is certainly in a somewhat peculiar case, since we 
 cannot truly call it a setting of Hamlet's Letter as given to us by 
 Shakespeare. The title describes it very well as " Hamlet's Letter 
 to Ophelia," versified. In this undertaking the superscription and 
 postscript of Hamlet's letter, as well as the letter itself, have been 
 
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. 25 
 
 wrought up by the versifier, and the whole of his or her ingenious 
 compound runs thus : — 
 
 " Doubt (O most beautified), that the stars are fire, 
 
 Doubt (my soul's idol), that the sun doth move, 
 Doubt that eternal truth may prove a liar. 
 
 But, sweet Ophelia, never doubt I love. 
 My mind no skill in these 'fond numbers owns, 
 
 Yet these declare I love thee best, most best. 
 And tho' no muses reckon up my groans. 
 
 These lines may shelter in thy snowy breast.'' 
 
 The music to this was the composition of Michael Kelly, who 
 composes it for, and dedicates it to. Miss Abrams, a lady well known 
 in the upper-class musical world of seventy years since. The date I 
 conclude to be near about the year 1800. 
 
 Mr. William Russell, the composer of an oratorio entitled "Job," 
 produced about the year 1806 a setting of Hamlet's letter, which 
 setting he appropriately dedicated to Mr. John Philip Kemble. This 
 composition is, as it appears to me at least, very careful and elaborate. 
 The voice part is introduced by sixteen bars of symphony, and only the 
 four hues of the original poetry are used, but they are much repeated 
 and wrought upOn in the style of an opera song. This setting would 
 certainly be very suitable for a good tenor voice. There is also another 
 setting of the letter, which I should conceive to be intended for a 
 tenor voice, and which may be dated about the year 1814. This was 
 the composition of Dr. Joseph Kemp^ and was one of several " Musical 
 Illustrations of Shakespeare " by the Doctor. It has accompaniments 
 for the violoncello and pianoforte. 
 
 To about the year 1820 we may assign a setting of the letter in 
 the duet form for equal voices and with a pianoforte accompaniment. 
 This commences and also terminates with the original verse, while 
 three other verses are added as a centre to the piece. 
 
26 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 In Mr. Proctor's " Life of Edmund Kean," the latter is said to 
 have composed " Doubt thou, the stars are fire," but we are not 
 informed whether the setting ever came into print, and indeed the 
 presumption would be that it never did. 
 
 Amongst the glees of Sir John Stevenson is one for two sopranos 
 and a bass, to the words of Hamlet's letter. The glee is unaccom- 
 panied, and Sir John closes his work with the verbal variation of 
 " Sweet Ophelia, never doubt my love ! " 
 
 There is a recitative and air, the composition of Mr. John Parry, 
 the elder, in which Hamlet's letter forms a part. This recitative and 
 air were written for Mr. Braham and to be sung in the operatised 
 " Merry Wives of Windsor.'" The recitative (of which it is intimated 
 that it may be omitted in private parties) is taken from one of Biron's 
 speeches in " Love's Labour Lost." Then ensues an air, andante, in 
 I time, set to the four lines of Hamlet's letter, which air is succeeded 
 by an allegretto in | time, set to other poetry. The whple composition 
 is then closed by a repetition of Hamlet's letter in | time, and with 
 different notes to those used for the opening movement. 
 
 Act HL Scene 2. Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, 
 ROSENCRANTZ, GuiLDENSTERN, and other Lords attendant, 
 with his Guard, carrying torches. 
 
 " Ophelia. The King rises ; 
 Hamlet. What ! frighted with false fire ! 
 Queen. How fares my lord ? 
 Polonius. Give o'er the play. 
 King. Give me some light : — away ! 
 
 All. Lights, lights, lights ! 
 
 {^Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio. 
 Hamlet. Why, let the strucken deer go weep, 
 The hart ungalled play : 
 For some must watch, while some must sleep ; 
 So runs the world away." 
 
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK. 27 
 
 These four lines for Hamlet have been composed by Mr. M. P. 
 King in the form of the unaccompanied glee for three voices. 
 
 Act IV. The music for Ophelia. 
 
 As to the snatches of Ophelia's songs, over and above those 
 given by Mr. Charles Knight in his " Shakespeare," there are two in 
 Mr. Caulfield's Collection. These are notes to the words — 
 
 " They bore him barefaced on the bier, 
 And on his grave rained many a tear.'' 
 
 (the " Hey nonny, nonny " being omitted), and also to the words — 
 " For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy.'' 
 
 Ophelia's song, " And will he not come again," has been set as a 
 glee for two sopranos and a bass, by Sir John Stevenson. 
 
 "Act V. In Mr. Caulfield's Collection notes are given to the three 
 stanzas sung by the gravedigger. There are the same notes to each 
 stanza. It may be observed that in the first stanza the vowel a is 
 added to the words "sweet" and "meet;" in the second stanza, 
 to the words "clutch" and "such;" and in the third to " sheet " 
 and "meet." Thus: "sweet «," "meet a," "clutch «:," "such a," 
 " sheet fl," " meet aP 
 
28 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 KING HENRY THE FOURTH. 
 
 Part II. Act V. Scene 3. The Garden of Shallow's House. 
 
 In Mr. Caulfield's Collection notes are given to this first one of 
 the little song-snatches for Cousin Silence. 
 
 " Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer, 
 And praise Heaven for the merry year ; 
 When flesh is cheap, and females dear 
 And lusty lads roam here and there." 
 
 The burthen, 
 
 " So merrily 
 " And ever among so merrily," 
 
 is omitted. We then have a chorus in three parts to these words — 
 
 " When flesh is cheap, and females dear, 
 Oh ! then comes in the merry good year." 
 
 These notes are anonymous. The other little scraps of song for 
 Silence are not noticed by Mr. Caulfield. 
 
 KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. 
 
 Act III. Scene i. London. Palace at Bridewell. A room in the 
 Queen's apartments. The Queen and some of her women at 
 work. 
 
 " Katharine. Take thy lute, wench ; my soul grows sad with troubles ; 
 Sing, and disperse 'em, if thou canst ; leave working." 
 
KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. 29 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Orpheus, with his lute, made trees 
 And the mountain-tops that freeze, 
 
 Bow their heads when he did sing : 
 To his music, plants and flowers 
 Ever sprung ; as sun and showers 
 
 There had made a lasting spring. 
 Everything that heard him play. 
 Even the billows of the sea. 
 
 Hung their heads, and then lay by. 
 In sweet music is such art. 
 Killing care and grief of heart, 
 
 Fall asleep, or, hearing, die." 
 
 " Orpheus, with his Lute," has been set to music several times, 
 and that both in the solo and concerted form. Respecting the poem, 
 and his own particular setting of it, Mr. William Linley has thus 
 written : — 
 
 " The beautiful words, ' Orpheus, with his lute,' were set many years ago by the 
 editor's late much-lamented father ; but he grieves to add that the score and part of the 
 song were destroyed when Drury Lane Theatre was burnt down, and he has not the slightest 
 vestige of it remaining, and but a very imperfect recollection even of the subject. It was 
 
 composed for the late Mrs. Crouch As the poetry of the song in question is 
 
 deserving of the highest efforts of a musical mind, the author is particularly disappointed 
 that he has not been able to find a setting of them in any of the works of the old English 
 masters. He has taken all the pains in his power with them, but is satisfied he has not 
 done them the justice they deserve, and deeply regrets that his father's composition cannot 
 so much more effectively fill the space in this volume." 
 
 With every respect for Mr. Linley, one cannot well help being a 
 little surprised that he should not have been aware of the fact that 
 three settings of the song in question were already in existence. One 
 of these was by so considerable a man as Dr. Maurice Greene, whose 
 performance will be found in a little collection by the Doctor, entitled 
 "A Cantata and Four EhgHsh Songs," published in 1741 (?) ; a 
 second was by Mr. Thomas Chilcot ; and a third is contained in John 
 
30 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Christopher Smith's opera of " The Fairies " (a Garrick ^^^--version 
 of "Midsummer Night's Dream "), which appeared in the year, 1755. 
 Dr. Rimbault has indeed told me that a setting exists, by Matthew 
 Locke, but considering how scarce many things of Locke's time 
 are, Mr. Linley may well be excused for his unconsciousness of that 
 particular one ; still, as regards the other three compositions, we may 
 wonder a little that they should have become so completely lost to 
 any one in the. position of Mr. Linley. In Mr. Caulfield's Collection 
 there is also a setting (which is, I believe, the work of Dr. Arne) of 
 " Orpheus and his Lute." 
 
 - Mr. R. J. Stevens has set the poem as a glee for five voices, 
 while Lord Mornington has done the same for it in the shape of a 
 four-part madrigal, which composition is amongst the contents of a 
 volume of his lordship's glees, edited by Sir Henry Bishop. Sir 
 Henry himself has introduced the poem in the operatised "Twelfth 
 Night," as a long and elegant duet, which was originally sung by 
 Miss Greene (afterwards Mrs. Paul Bedford), and Miss M. Tree, in 
 the characters of Olivia and Viola. 
 
 Four compositions of our own tiipe have now to be recounted." 
 One of these is a four-part song by Mr. George Macfarren, and another 
 is a long and elaborate duet, for soprano and contralto, by Mr. John 
 Hatton. This was composed for performance in a revival of " King 
 Henry the Eighth," at the Princess's Theatre, in the year 1855. It 
 is written in the key of E b, and requires of the first voice to ascend 
 steadily to the upper B b. 
 
 Still more recently we have had a solo setting by Miss Virginia 
 Gabriel, a lady known by several compositions, and as it is so-metimes 
 said, in the position of an amateur. This song is in the key of D, and 
 requires a compass of voice extending from the lower B to the upper 
 A. I am inclined to remark that Miss Gabriel is open to criticism for 
 some of her reading. Thus the voice gives out the first line of the 
 
KING LEAR. 3 1 
 
 song " Orpheus with his lute made trees," and then are interposed a 
 crotchet rest, with two bars of instrumental music before the voice 
 proceeds. . By this the true meaning of the poetry is certainly quite 
 obscured. A comparison as to this point might be made with 
 Mr. Linley's treatment of the words in his setting. However, it must 
 be observed as to the general subject of correct reading, that even 
 Sir Henry Bishop, who has composed so much excellent Shakespeare 
 music, is not always irreproachable upon the score of his accentuation. 
 
 Lastly, in 1865, we had a setting as solo for a soprano voice by 
 Mr. Arthur Sullivan, a gentleman whose name has become very favour- 
 ably known to the world in connection with " Shakespeare music." 
 
 KING LEAR. 
 
 Act I. Scene 4. A hall in the DUKE OF Albany's Palace. Lear, 
 ■with knights and attendants. KENT, and the Fool. 
 
 "Fool. .... Thou had'st little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gav'stthy 
 golden one away. If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipp'd that first finds it so. 
 
 1. '' Fools had ne'er less grace in a year ; . {Singing. \ 
 • For wise men are grown foppish ; 
 
 And know not how their wits to wear, 
 Their manners are so apish." 
 
 Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah ? 
 
 Fool. I have used it, nuncle, e'er since thou madest thy daughters thy mothers. 
 
 2. " Tteri they for sudden joy did weep 
 
 And I for sorrows sung, 
 That such a king should play bo-peep, 
 And go the fool among." 
 
32 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 To them, enter Goneril. 
 
 " Lear. How now, daughter, what makes that frontlet on ? Methinksi you are too 
 much of late i'the frown. 
 
 Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning ; 
 now thou art an O without a figure : I am better than thou art now ; I am a fool ; thou art 
 nothing. 
 
 3. " He that keeps nor crust nor crum, 
 
 Weary of all, shall want some. 
 
 4. " The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long 
 
 That it had its head bit off by its young." 
 
 These snatches for the Fool, numbered i, 2, 3 and 4, have notes 
 to them in Mr. Caulfield's Collection. The 3rd and 4th, however, are 
 not marked in the play as sung, and are printed in the same type as 
 the speeches. 
 
 Act II. Scene 4. Before Gloster'S Castle. KENT in the stocks. 
 Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman. 
 
 " Fool. Fathers that wear rags do make their children blind : 
 But fathers that bear bags shall see their children kind. 
 
 Fool. That, sir, which serves and seeks for gain. 
 And follows but for form. 
 Will pack when it begins to rain 
 And leave thee in the storm. 
 But I will tarry, the fool will stay,'' 
 
 [The fool, the fool will stay.] 
 
 These snatches also, for the Fool, have notes to them in 
 Mr. Caulfield's Collection, although not printed in the play as if to be 
 sung. The words in brackets, [" The fool, the fool will stay,"] present 
 the repetition used in the notes given by Mr. Caulfield. 
 
love's labours lost. 33 
 
 Act III. Scene 4. A part of the Heath, with a hovel. Enter Lear, 
 Kent, and Fool. To them, enter Edgar. 
 
 In this scene, wrought in amongst the speeches of Edgar, we find 
 the following lines : — 
 
 " St. Withold footed thrice the wold, 
 He met the night-mare, and her nine-fold ; 
 Bid her alight, 
 And her troth plight, 
 And, aroint thee, witch, aroint thee ! " 
 
 These lines have been set by Sir Henry Bishop as a duet for two 
 tenors, which was sung by Mr. Pyne and Mr. Duruset in the operatised 
 " Comedy of Errors." 
 
 LOVE'S LABOURS LOST. 
 
 Act IV. Scene 2. Enter HoLOFERNES, SiR NATHANIEL and Dull. 
 To them, ^^i'^r Jaquenetta and Costard. Jaquenetta gives 
 Sir Nathaniel a letter. 
 
 "Jaquenetta. Good master parson, be so good as read me this letter; it was given 
 me by Costard, and sent me from Don Armado : I beseech you, read it. 
 
 HoLOFERNES. Under pardon, sir, what are the contents ? Or rather, as Horace says 
 in his — What, my soul, verses ? 
 
 Nathaniel. Ay, sir, and very learned. 
 
 HoLOFERNES. Let me hear a staff, a stanza, a verse ; lege, domine. 
 
 Nathaniel. \reads.\ 
 
 " If love make me forsworn, how shall I swear to love ? 
 Ah, never faith could hold, if not to beauty vowed 1 
 Though to myself forsworn, to thee I'll faithful prove ; 
 
 Those thoughts to me were oaks, to thee like osiers bowed. 
 
34 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Study his bias leaves, and make his book thine eyes, 
 
 Where all those pleasures live, that art would comprehend : 
 If knowledge be the mark, to know thee shall suffice ; 
 
 Well learned is that tongue, that well can thee commend ; 
 All ignorant that soul, that sees thee without wonder ; 
 
 (Which is to me some praise, that I thy parts admire) ; 
 Thy eye Jove's lightning bears, thy voice his dreadful thunder. 
 
 Which, not to anger bent, is music, and sweet fire. 
 Celestial as thou art, oh pardon, love, this wrong, 
 That sings Heaven's praise with such an earthly tongue ! " 
 
 This canzonet, by " one Monsieur Biron," as Jaquenetta phrases 
 it, and according to schoolmaster Holofernes, superscribed "To, the 
 snow-white hand of the most beauteous Lady Rosaline," has, I find, 
 been set at all events twice. One of the compositions is a solo 
 (doubtless for a tenor voice) by Mr. Joseph Major. It may be dated 
 about 1820, and it has been lately reproduced in the " Shakespeare 
 Album." The second setting, by Mr. R. Hughes, was sung by 
 Mr. Bland in the operatised " Taming of the Shrew," which was 
 brought out nearly forty years ago. 
 
 Ace IV. Scene 3. The King, Biron, and Longaville, hiding. 
 Enter DUMAIN, with a paper, from -which he reads the following 
 poem : — 
 
 " On a day (ala,ck the day !) 
 Love, whose month is ever May, 
 Spied a blossom, passing fair, 
 Playing in the wanton air : 
 Through the velvet leaves the wind 
 All unseen, 'gan passage find ; 
 That the lover, sick to death, 
 Wish'd himself, the heaven's breath. 
 Air, ^uoih he, thy cheeks may blow ; 
 
love's labours lost. 35 
 
 Air, would I might triumph so ! 
 But alack, my hand is sworn, 
 Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn : 
 Vow, alack, for youth unmeet ; 
 Youth so apt to pluck a sweet. 
 Do not call it sin in me 
 That I am forsworn for thee : 
 Thou for whom Jove would swear, 
 Juno but an Ethiop were ; 
 And deny himself for Jove, 
 Turning mortal for thy love." 
 
 Of music connected with this excellent canzonet, three pieces may 
 be mentioned belonging to the middle of the last century. One of 
 these pieces is a solo, by Mr. Thomas Chilcot, of Bath. Another, 
 also a solo, in G minor, is by Dr. Arne. This will be found repro- 
 duced in Mr. Caulfield's Collection, wherein it appears arranged by 
 Mr. J. Addison. The third piece of music relates only to the last six 
 lines of the poem, beginning at — 
 
 " Do not call it sin in me," 
 
 and will be found set as a contralto solo for the character of Lysander 
 
 in Smith's operatised "Midsummer Night's Dream," called "The 
 
 Fairies." This song is in the key of D major, and its compass lies 
 
 from E to the lower C. It has been treated in the da capo fashion, 
 
 the lines — 
 
 " Do not call it sin in me, 
 
 That I am forsworn to thee," 
 constituting the first movement. The second movement is in the 
 minor key, embracing the next four lines — 
 
 " Thou for whom e'en Jove would swear, 
 Juno but an Ethiop were, 
 And deny himself for Jove, 
 Turning mortal for thy love." 
 
 The two first-quoted lines are then of course repeated, thus forming 
 the close as well as the beginning of the composition. 
 
36 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Our poem forms one of the " Elegies," composed by Mr. Jackson, 
 of Exeter, and has been very elegantly treated by him -for three male 
 voices. This composition opens in A minor, and closes with the always- 
 grateful change into the major of the same key. 
 
 There is a four-voiced composition (unaccompanied) of " On a 
 day," which is to be found in a book of canzonets, &c., by T. Lyon, of 
 which the date may be about 1 790 (?) 
 
 The six final hnes have been set by Mr. M. P. King as a duet for 
 soprano (or tenor ?) and bass. This composition has no accompani- 
 ment, and it is in the old style of continued imitation between the two 
 voices. 
 
 There is a setting of " On a day," by Mr. Braham. 
 
 "On a day" appeared as a duet, composed by Sir Henry Bishop, 
 to be sung by Julia and Sylvia in the " Two Gentlemen of Verona." 
 The original singers of this pleasing duet were the Misses M. Tree 
 and Hallande. In this case four lines are omitted, and there are also 
 a few verbal changes. 
 
 Within these few years the poem has been used for a " prize 
 glee," composed for four male voices, by W. P. Stevens. In this 
 instance the composer has omitted the last four lines, and makes his 
 close upon the words^ 
 
 " That I am forsworn for thee." 
 
 Act IV. Scene 3. Place and persons as before. 
 
 " BiRON. When wDuld you, my lord, or you, or you, 
 
 Have found the ground of study's excellence, 
 Without the beauty of a woman's face ? 
 From women's eyes this doctrine I derive, 
 They are the ground, the books, the academies, 
 From whence doth spring the true Promethean fire.'' 
 
love's LABOUR'SLOST. 37 
 
 " A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind ; 
 A lover's ear will hear the lowest sound." 
 
 " And when love speaks, the voice of all the gods 
 Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony." 
 
 There is a composition, by Mr. Parry, taken from Biron's speech, 
 and purporting to have been sung by Mr. Braham in the " Merry 
 Wives of Windsor." It opens with a recitative maestoso to these four 
 Hnes thus arranged, and as it will be observed, with some verbal 
 changes in the third and fourth lines: — 
 
 " A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind, 
 A lover's ears can hear the lowest sound ; 
 From women's eyes this doctrine we derive. 
 They sparkle still the bright Promethean fire." 
 
 Then succeeds an air, andante^ still with verbal changes. 
 
 " And when love speaks, the voice of all the gods, 
 Makes heaven resound with harmony." 
 
 This andante is followed by an allegro to the same v/ords. The' 
 song, which is in the key of E b, extends in compass from the lower C 
 to the upper B b, and closes in a bravura style. The symphony pre- 
 ceding the recitative is marked to include the trumpet, and the closing 
 symphony has also' this intimation, " Trumpet, &c., &c." These circum- 
 stances are mentioned to illustrate the style of the composition. The 
 recitative is the same as that to Mr. Parry's " Doubt thou the stars are 
 fire." 
 
 There is a setting of — 
 
 " A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind 
 
 by Dr. Kemp, being one of his " Illustrations of Shakespeare." It has 
 an accompaniment for the violoncello. 
 
38 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Act V. Scene 2 (and last). The pageant of the Nine Worthies. 
 
 {Before the Princess's Pavilion. 
 
 " Armado. Most esteemed greatness, will you hear the dialogue that the two learned 
 men have compiled in praise of the owl and the cuckoo ? it should have followed in the 
 end of our show." 
 
 King. Call them forth quickly ; we will do so. 
 
 Armado. Holla ! approach." 
 
 Enter HoLOFERNES, Nathaniel, Moth, Costard, and others. 
 
 " This side is Hiems, winter; this, Ver, the spring; the one maintained by the owl, 
 the other by the cuckoo. Ver, begin. 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Spring. When daisies pied and violets blue, 
 And lady-smocks, all silver white. 
 And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue,' 
 
 Do paint the meadows with delight, 
 The cuckoo then, on every tree, 
 Mocks married men, for thus sings he. 
 
 Cuckoo ; 
 Cuckoo, cuckoo — O word of fear, 
 Unpleasing to a married ear ! 
 
 When shepherds pipe on oaten straws, 
 
 And merry larks are ploughman's clocks. 
 
 When turtles tread, and rooks and daws, 
 
 And maidens bleach their summer smocks. 
 
 The Cuckoo then, on every tree. 
 
 Mocks married men, for thus sings he. 
 Cuckoo ; 
 
 Cuckoo, cuckoo — O word of fear, 
 
 Unpleasing to a married ear ! 
 
love's labourslost. 39 
 
 . Winter. When icicles hang by the wall, 
 
 And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, 
 And Tom bears logs into the hall. 
 
 And milk comes frozen home in pail, 
 When blood is nipp'd, and ways be foul, 
 Then nightly sings the staring owl ; 
 
 To-who ; 
 Tu-whit, to-who, a merry note, 
 While gTe3.sy/aan doth keel the pot. 
 
 IV. 
 
 When all aloud the wind doth blow, 
 
 And coughing drowns the parson's saw. 
 And birds sit brooding in the snow. 
 
 And Marion's nose looks red and raw, 
 When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl, 
 , Then nightly sings the staring owl ; 
 
 To-who ; 
 Tu-whit, to-who, a merry note. 
 While gveasy/oan doth keel the pot.'' 
 
 This song, or more properly this double song, which constitutes 
 the close of " Love's Labour Lost," has been used by Dr. Arne as the 
 poetic material for two distinct compositions. The first is the well- 
 known and justly -admired cuckoo-song, " When daisies pied," which 
 appears to have been originally sung by Mrs. Clive, as Rosalind, in 
 " As you like it." So we may gather from the original edition of the 
 music. The second is a setting of the verses beginning, " When 
 icicles hang by the wall," which the Doctor calls " A description of 
 winter, as the Cuckoo-song is of spring." In this case no name of a 
 singer, or occasion of being sung, is added. The music is written 
 apparently for a tenor voice. It has been reproduced in the " Shake- 
 speare Album," and there transposed from F into E b, by which means 
 it has become equally suitable for a baritone singer as for a tenor. 
 
 M 
 
40 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 The whole four verses have been set as one piece, by Richard 
 Leveridge, the same music being given to each verse, except some 
 Httle imitative variation at the point where the note of the owl is 
 alluded to. This composition is on a sheet in one of the volumes of 
 music to be found in the British Museum Library. 
 
 " When daisies pied " has been set as a glee for three male voices 
 by Mr. John Stafford Smith, about the year 1 784. 
 
 " When icicles hang by the wall" has been set as a glee by 
 Mr. John Percy ; this fact we only learn from a catalogue of Mr. Percy's 
 musical works. Mr. George Macfarren has likewise set those same 
 words as a glee for two sopranos, a tenor and a bass. 
 
 MACBETH. 
 
 Act I. Scene 2. An open place. Thunder and lightning. Enter three 
 Witches. 
 
 " First Witch. When shall we three meet again 
 In thunder, lightning, or in rain ? 
 
 Second Witch. When the hurly burly 's done, 
 
 When the battle's lost and won : 
 Third Witch. That will be ere the set of sun. 
 First Witch. Where the place ? 
 Second Witch. Upon the heath : 
 
 Third Witch. There to meet with Macbeth." 
 
 Mr. M. P. King's glee for two tenors and a bass, " When shall we 
 three meet again," is so thoroughly well known that it only needs to 
 be named ; but it is comparatively a very few persons who are aware 
 that there is another " When shall we three meet again," written 
 for the very unusual combination of three basses, or more strictly 
 
MACBETH. 41 
 
 speaking, for two baritones and a bass, the third voice descending to 
 the double E b. This other setting is by the eminent glee composer, 
 Mr. Samuel Webbe, who after taking the voices up to the point at 
 which Mr. M. P. King has closed his glee, " That will be ere set of 
 sun," proceeds to the question and answer — 
 
 " Where the place ? Upon the heath, 
 There we go to meet Macbeth." 
 
 The second line, it will be perceived, is altered from the original, 
 and then follows another movement to these words, altered from part 
 of Hecate's speech in the third Act — 
 
 " There we'll perform such magic rites, 
 And raise such artificial sprites, 
 As by the force of their illusion 
 Shall draw him on to his confusion.'' 
 
 The glee is then brought to its close by these two lines, com- 
 posed from the first scene of the fourth Act — 
 
 "We'll double, double, toil and trouble, 
 And make our hell-broth boil and bubble." 
 
 Mr. Webbe's composition is in the key of C minor, and doubtless, 
 with its low, sombre tone, would be felt, if it were really well performed, 
 as much more Shakesperian in its style of treatment than the very 
 popular, lighter work of Mr. King. 
 
 Act IV. Scene i. A dark cave. In the middle a Caldron boiling. 
 Thunder. Enter the three Witches. 
 
 There are two pieces of music connected with this Witch-scene, 
 both of them composed by Mr. M. P. King. The first is a three-voiced- 
 glee, commencing " Round about the caldron go," while the second 
 piece is an unaccompanied glee and chorus, in three parts, thus 
 
42 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 treated. Of six lines taken from a speech by the first Witch the first 
 four are in a trio, and the last two are given in chorus : — 
 
 " In Trio. Come sisters, cheer we up his sprites, 
 And show the best of our delights ; 
 I'll charm the air to give a sound, 
 While you perform your antique round : 
 In Chorus. That this great king may kindly say. 
 Our duties did his welcome pay.'' 
 
 I can easily beheve that this would prove an effective piece if 
 executed according to the composer's intention. The first two lines 
 are set to a moderato movement. " I'll charm the air" is an allegretto, 
 and the chorus is a maestoso. The whole is written commodiously for 
 the voices — the first tenor never . exceeding G, while the second tenor 
 could be sung by any baritone. Altogether, the piece is of that kind 
 which would be useful in a small musical society for men only. 
 
 MEASURE FOR MEASURE. 
 
 Act IV. Scene i. A room in Mariana's house. MARIANA discovered 
 sitting. A boy singing. 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Take, oh take those lips away. 
 That so sweetly were forsworn ; 
 And those eyes, the break of day. 
 
 Lights that do mislead the morn ; 
 But my kisses bring again, 
 
 Bring again 
 Seals of love, but seal'd in vain, 
 
 Seal'd in vain. 
 Mariana. Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away : 
 Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice 
 Hath often still'd my brawling discontent." 
 
MEASURE FOR MEASURE. 43 
 
 The earliest setting of " Take, oh tgke those Hps away," as yet 
 known to me, is contained in the several editions of " Select Musical! 
 Ayres and Dialogues," published in 1652, 1653, and 1659. The com- 
 poser was Dr. John Wilson, then Professor of Music in the University 
 of Oxford. In the printed copy the song is entitled " Love's Ingrati- 
 tude," and in the British Museum Library there is an old MS. volume 
 of music, in which Dr. Wilson's composition will be found, with some 
 variations from the printed copy, and also graces added, in small notes, 
 for the singing of some of the words. 
 
 The next earliest setting of this song, sung to the " dejected 
 Mariana at the moated grange " is also a solo, by Mr. John Weldon. 
 This setting will be found in a " Collection of New Songs," by 
 Mr. Weldon, which songs, as the title-page informs us, were " Per- 
 form'd att his CoNSORT in York Bildings." The date of this would 
 be about 1 707. Then there is another solo setting, conta,ined in one 
 of the volumes of the " Musical Miscellany," somewhere about 1 730(9) 
 This was the work of Mr. Galliard, the composer of the once famous 
 hunting-song, the " Early Horn." Mr. Thomas Chilcot also, about 
 1 750, has done a solo setting of our song. 
 
 In Mr. Linley's work will be found another setting of these words 
 as a solo, by himself. Mr. Linley was apparently unacquainted with 
 the above-mentioned compositions so long prior to his own time, as 
 he makes no mention of them, simply observing, as a reason for giving 
 one of his own, that he was not aware of any appropriate reading of 
 these words as a song. 
 
 Five other solo settings may also be indicated. One is in the 
 library of the Sacred Harmonic Society, and its date ma:y be about - 
 1770. It has only the initials " W. N." upon it. Another is contained 
 in a book of two cantatas and four songs, by Christopher Dixon, of 
 
 N 
 
44 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 York. It is in G minor; the date I could imagine to be about 1780. 
 A third I found on one side of a single leaf, belonging to some work 
 unknown to me ; there was a nursery-song on the other side of the 
 leaf. A fourth setting was by Sir Henry Bishop, and was sung by MisS 
 Stephens in the " Comedy of Errors." Lastly, there is a composition 
 by Mr. Alfred Mellon, which, during the tercentenary movement, was 
 sung by Mr. Santley. 
 
 I am able to name four compositions to these words in the duet 
 form. One of these is by the well-known Mr. William Jackson, of 
 Exeter, and another is contained in a book of " Thirteen Canzonets," for 
 two voices, composed by T. Tremain ; a third, written for soprano and 
 tenor, with symphonies and accompaniments in the dramatic style, is 
 in a book of six vocal pieces, marked as " Opera prima,^'- composed 
 by William Tindal. In both these cases the dates may be assigned to 
 soon after 1780. It may be observed, by the way, that Mr. Tremain 
 and Mr. Tindal are musicians of whom I can find no account. The 
 fourth duet was the composition of Mr. William Gardiner, of Leicester, 
 who, in his " Music and Friends," tells us of his publishing such a 
 piece, with only his initials " W. G." affixed. This was in his early 
 time. 
 
 By John Stafford Smith the poem has been set as a glee for alto, 
 tenor and bass. There is also another three-voiced glee setting by the 
 Honourable Augustus Barry. A four-voiced composition, about the 
 date of 1 780, is by Signor Giordani ; this composition is headed by an 
 announcement that it is also to be had " adapted for one voice, with 
 the harpsichord accompaniment." Finally, there is another four-voiced 
 composition to the poem in question, which is contained in a book of 
 glees by Sir John Stevenson. 
 
MERCHANT OF VENICE. 45 
 
 MERCHANT OF VENICE. 
 
 Act II. Scene 7. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. Enter 
 . Portia, with the Prince of Morocco, and both their trains. 
 
 There is a duet by Mr. Charles Horn, " All that glitters is not 
 gold," taken from the scroll read by the Prince of Morocco in this 
 scene. This duet was sung in the " Merry Wives of Windsor," when 
 that play was musically performed many years ago. 
 
 Act III. Scene 2. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house. Enter 
 Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa, and attendants. The 
 caskets are set out. 
 
 " Portia. Let music sound, while he doth make his choice ; 
 Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end, 
 Fading in music : ' 
 
 He may win ; 
 And what is music then ? then music is 
 Even as the flourish when true subjects bow 
 To a new-crowned monarch ; such it is, 
 As are those dulcet sounds in break of day, 
 That creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear 
 And summon him to marriage." 
 
 Musicj whilst Bassanio comments on the. caskets to himself. 
 
 Song. 
 
 1. " Tell me where is fancy bred, 
 
 Or in the heart, or in the head } 
 How begot, how nourished ? 
 Reply, reply. 
 
 2. " It is engender'd in the eyes,. 
 
 With gazing fed ; and fancy dies 
 In the cradle where it lies : 
 
 Let us all ring fancy's knell ; 
 I'll begin it— Ding, dong, bell ; 
 All. Ding, dong, bell." 
 
46 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 The song, " Tell me where is fancy bred," besides the well-known 
 setting of it in the duet form by Sir John Stevenson, has at least four 
 other settings. The earliest I have as yet become aware of is a solo 
 by Dr. Arne, which was sung in " Twelfth Night " by the celebrated 
 Mrs. Clive. I am informed that the play was revived at Drury Lane 
 Theatre, on January the 17th, 1741, when Olivia was personated by 
 Mrs. Clive. Dr. Arne's setting of this song for Olivia is in the key of 
 D minor, and is elegant and pensive in its character. It is reprinted in 
 Mrs. Caulfield's collection, and only there that I am aware of. The 
 burthen, " Let us all ring fancy's knell," has here been omitted by the 
 Doctor, and unlike the case of a similar omission as to Amiens's song, 
 for a most satisfactory reason. That burthen could not have been felt 
 to be in any sort of harmony with such a person as the love-lorn lady 
 of " Twelfth Night." 
 
 Another of the settings is by Mr. R. J. Stevens, and is for the 
 comparatively very unusual combination of three sopranos and a tenor. 
 This composition is decidedly out of the strict glee category, inasmuch 
 as it possesses an instrumental bass. In the second movement the 
 effect of the " knell " is assigned to this instrumental bass, so that 
 Mr. Stevens's work, in this case, is rather to be considered as an 
 accompanied quartet than as a glee. Mr. William Linley has set these 
 words as a dialogue duet for first and second attendant, with a chorus in 
 three parts for sopranos and bass. Then there is a setting by Mr. John 
 Hatton, concerning which it may interest amateur ladies to be told that 
 it was sung by Miss Poole, with a chorus of female voices 07ily, in 
 " The Merchant of Venice." The 'composition is in two movements, 
 the first an andante con moto up to the word " reply." " Let us all 
 ring fancy's knell " forms the allegro movement. The chorus is written 
 in three parts, for soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto voices. The 
 whole together would, as I conceive, form a very pleasing addition to 
 the somewhat limited repertory of ladies' music. 
 
MERCHANT OF VENICE. 4'] 
 
 Act V. Scene i. Belmont. Avenue to Portia's house. Lorenzo 
 «!«rf Jessica. 
 
 " Lorenzo. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! 
 Here will we sit, aiid let the sounds of music 
 Creep in our ears ; soft stillness, and the night. 
 Become the touches of sweet harmony. 
 
 Enter Musicians. 
 Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hyirin ; 
 With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear. 
 And draw her home with music." 
 
 There have been at least six pieces of music connected with these 
 parts of Lorenzo's beautiful address to Jessica. One of these is a 
 setting for three voices, with a distinct pianoforte accompaniment, 
 constituting it rather a trio than a glee. It is the composition of 
 Mr. M. P. King. A second setting, in the form of a little duet fdr 
 soprano voices, was by Mr. Charles Dignum. This duet is to be found 
 in a volume of Mr. Dignum's miscellaneous vocal compositions, the 
 date about 1800 (?) Both these settings are confined to the four lines 
 
 beginning at 
 
 " How sweet the moonlight sleeps,'' 
 
 and closing at 
 
 " Become the touches of sweet harmony." 
 
 There is also a pleasing duet to these lines, set by Mr. Thomas 
 Hutchinson in or about 1807. It is written for a soprano and a tenor. 
 
 Mr. John Percy (the composer of " Wapping Old Stairs ") has set 
 these words in the solo form. Mr. Percy's composition, if without any 
 very marked character, has a certain degree of elegance, but it is not 
 easy to see the expediency of some peculiar dealings with the words. 
 For instance, stopping at the first two lines and a half, 
 
 " How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank ; 
 Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music 
 Creep in our ears," 
 
48 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 the composer proceeds with the following lines from " Twelfth Night " 
 {with alterations) : — 
 
 " Oh ! it comes o'er me like the gentle south, 
 That o'er the violet breathes, and charms the soul." 
 
 After this the other line and a-half of Lorenzo's speech are admitted, 
 with two additional syllables, thus : — 
 
 " Soft stillness and the night, 
 Do well become the touches of sweet harmony." 
 
 Again, not many years ago, appeared a setting from Lorenzo's 
 speech by Miss E. Naylor, as an accompanied duet. This composition 
 has two movements, the first closing at the words 
 
 " Become the touches of sweet harmony," 
 
 while the second is an allegro, written to the last three lines of 
 Lorenzo's same Speech, specially addressed to the musicians when 
 they enter — 
 
 " Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn ; 
 With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear, 
 And draw her home with music." 
 
 Finally, in 1866, in the notice of a performance by Mr. Henry 
 Leshe's choir, we are told of a part-song, composed by Mr. Leslie him- 
 self, to Shakespeare's Hnes — 
 
 " How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank." 
 It appears that the choir gained an encore in this part-song. 
 
 It will be remembered that after the musicians have complied with 
 Lorenzo's request that they should 
 
 " Wake Diana with a hymn," 
 
MERCHANT OF VENICE. 49 
 
 we have this pecuHar remark from Jessica — 
 
 " I am never merry when I hear sweet music.'' 
 
 This remark draws the ensuing notable rejoinder from Lorenzo : — 
 
 " The reason is, your spirits are attentive; 
 For do but note a wild and wanton herd, 
 Or race of youthful and unhandled colts. 
 Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud. 
 Which is the hot condition of their blood ; 
 If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound. 
 Or any air of music touch their ears. 
 You shall perceive them make a mutual stand ; 
 Their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze, 
 By the sweet power of music : Therefore, the poet 
 Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods ; 
 Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage. 
 But music for the time doth change his nature : 
 The man that hath no music in himself. 
 Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds. 
 Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils ; 
 The motions of his spirit are dull as night, 
 And his affections dark as Erebus : 
 Let no such man be trusted." 
 
 To terminate whatever I can say respecting any music connected 
 with the " Merchant of Venice," it may be observed that, taken from 
 the above-cited speech, is a song composed by Mr. T. Cooke, and 
 sung by Mr. Braham, in the operatised " Taming of the Shrew." This 
 song commences " Oh ! do but note " (instead of the original " For, 
 do but note ") ; the opening is in recitative, and there is an air of 
 varied movements. The close is made upon the words — 
 
 " Let no such man be trusted." 
 
50 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. 
 
 Act II. Scene 2. A room in the Garter Inn. Falstaff and FORD 
 disguised. 
 
 " Ford. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her husband's name is Ford. 
 
 Falstaff. Well, sir. 
 
 Ford. I have long loved her, and I protest to you, bestowed much on her ; . . i . 
 But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means, meed, I am sure, I 
 have received none ; unless experience be a jewel ; that I have purchased at an infinite 
 rate, and that hath taught me to say this : — ■ 
 
 Love like a shadow flies, when substance love pursues ; 
 Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues." 
 
 This couplet has been set as a duet for soprano and tenor, and 
 was sung in the musical revival of the " Merry Wives of Windsor." 
 The composition was, I believe, by Mr. Braham. The words have also 
 been set more recently as a solo by the late Mr. Edward Fitzwilliam. 
 
 Act III. Scene i. Afield near Frogmore., Sir HuGH EvANS and 
 Simple. 
 
 " Evans. Pless my soul ! how full of cholers I am, and trempling of mind ! 
 . . . How melancholies I am ! . . . . Pless my soul ! " [^Sings. 
 
 " To shallow rivers, to whose falls 
 Melodious birds sing madrigals ; 
 There will we make our peds of roses. 
 And a thousand fragrant posies." 
 
 Sir Hugh Evans's snatch of song, " To shallow rivers," &c., is 
 part of the little poem " Come, live with me," which poem, therefore, 
 even if not written by Shakespeare (and the point is seemingly 
 unsettled), should not pass unnoticed here as to the use made of it by 
 musicians. Of solo settings connected with this poem the following 
 
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. 5 1 
 
 have been met with. One given by Sir John Hawkins, in his " History 
 of Music," is a melody which Sir John says he had discovered in a 
 MS. as old as Shakespeare's time. This Mr. Charles Knight has 
 reproduced (with a bass added) in his edition of Shakespeare. 
 
 In Mr. Caulfield's Collection, notes (anonymous) are given to. the 
 four lines sung by Sir Hugh. Mr. Chilcot, of Bath (about 1750), has 
 given a setting of the poem. 
 
 Amongst the printed music in the British Museum is a solo 
 setting of " Come, live with me," which is anonymous, date, perhaps, 
 about 1770. 
 
 There is a setting of the words by Dr. Arne, which is described as 
 " A favourite Scotch air, sung by Miss Catley in ' Love in a village.' " 
 This is composed by the Doctor in " the Scotch style " ! 
 
 In a book of " Three EngHsh Songs and a Glee," dedicated to 
 Lady Jerningham, Opera xv., and composed by (Baron) F. Dalberg, 
 is a solo setting of the poem, date somewhere about 1790. 
 
 There is a setting of " Come, live with mp," by Sir Henry Bishop, 
 which was sung by Miss Stephens, as Adriana, in the operatised 
 " Comedy of Errors." This song, set one note lower than in the 
 original, has .been reproduced in the " Shakespeare Album." 
 
 I find a setting of the poem in " A Collection of Songs sung at 
 Vauxhall and Marybone Gardens .... composed by Dr. Arnold, 
 Opera ix." The song- is described as " Sung by Mr. Reinhold," and 
 the words are assigned to Marlowe. 
 
 Besides these eight solo settings of former days*, two more may 
 
 * It would seem as if the Dr. John Wilson, referred to in page 43, may have set 
 " Come, live with me '' either in whole or in part. At all events, a movement commencing 
 "O by rivers by whose falls" constitutes the opening of a Pasticcio Quintett of Sir H. Bishop 
 in " Twelfth Night." To that opening movement Sir Henry has affixed an intimation that 
 " the melody is by Dr. Wilson." 
 
 P 
 
52 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 be added belonging to our own time. The one composed by 
 Mr. J. B. Turner, and the other, described as sung by Signor Mario, 
 is the composition of Mr. John Hatton. 
 
 In a book of canzonets, by T. Tremain, is a setting of " Come, 
 live with me " as a duet, apparently written, either for two sopranos or 
 for two tenors. 
 
 In Mr. Hutchinson's vocal collection is a duet^ commencing " Here 
 will we sit," for soprano and contralto. This is set to four lines of the 
 poem — 
 
 " Here will we sit upon the rocks, 
 And see the shepherds feed their flocks, 
 By shallow rivers, to whose falls, 
 Melodious birds sing madrigals." 
 
 The first word " Here " is a substitution for the original word 
 " There." 
 
 Mr. Samuel Webbe has set the first, second, fourth, and fifth 
 verses of " Come, live with me " as a glee for four male voices. This 
 glee is a very favourite composition. Lastly, and quite in our own 
 times, we have the poem composed by Dr. Bennett as a four-part song, 
 which will be found in Mr. HuUah's " Secular Collection." 
 
 Act V. Scene 5. Windsor Park. 
 
 This last scene, Windsor Park at night, Falstaff in disguise, with 
 a buck's head on, and the troop of pretended fairies by whom he is 
 punished, we must presume to be familiar to everyone ; consequently 
 the song in this scene needs only to be prefaced by the two lines in 
 the play which immediately precede it : — 
 
 " About him, fairies ; sing a scornful rhyme ; 
 And as you trip, still pinch him to your time." 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 53 
 
 Song. 
 
 " Fye on sinful fantasy ! 
 Fye on lust and luxury ! 
 Lust is but a bloody fire, 
 Kindled with unchaste desire, 
 Fed in heart ; whose flames aspire, 
 As thoughts do blow them, higher and higher ; 
 Pinch him, fairies, mutually ; 
 Pinch him, for his villainy ; 
 Pinch him and burn him, and tur.n him about, 
 Till candles, and starlight, and moonshine be out." 
 
 This song has been set by Mr. Addison, as a solo for Sir Hugh 
 Evans, up to the word "villainy.'" The last two lines are then treated 
 as a chorus in three parts, first and second soprano, and bass. This 
 composition will be found in Mr. Caulfield's Collection. 
 
 MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 
 
 Act I. Scene i. Athens. A room in the Palace of Theseus. 
 LySANDER and HermiA. 
 
 " Hermia. By the simplicity of Venus' doves ; 
 
 By that which knitteth souls, and prospers loves ; 
 
 By all the vows that ever men have broke. 
 In number more than ever women spoke ; 
 In that same place thou hast appointed me. 
 To-morrow truly will I meet with thee." 
 
 The above six lines, from a speech for Hermia, have been excel- 
 lently set by Sir Henry Bishop as a solo, which was surig by Miss 
 Stephens, as Hermia, in the operatised " Midsummer Night's Dream." 
 
54 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 The same Act, Scene and persons. To thenij enter HELENA. 
 
 " Helena. O happy fair ! 
 
 Your eyes are loadstars ; and your tongue's sweet air 
 
 More tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear, 
 
 When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. 
 
 O teach me how you look ; and with what art 
 You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart." 
 
 These hnes have been agreeably set as a song for Helena in 
 Smith's operatised " Midsummer Night's Dream," called the " Fairies." 
 This song has two movements, the first being repeated in the da capo 
 fashion. There are two or three slight verbal alterations, as, for 
 instance, the song begins not " O happy fair," but " O Hermia, happy 
 fair." 
 
 Mr. Shield has composed a glee in three parts, called the 
 " Loadstars," from the first four of the above-cited lines. This com- 
 position has been a great favourite, but it has not escaped notice that 
 Mr. Shield had read his author incorrectly, for he has actually brought 
 the first strain of his music to a full close at the words 
 
 " And your tongue's sweet air.'' 
 
 These words from Helena's speech have also two modern settings. 
 One of these is by Mr. E. Loder. It is very pleasing,- and in the style 
 of " Should he upbraid." It would be suitable either for a soprano or 
 a tenor. The key is G, and the compass required is from the lower 
 D to the upper G. The second of these rnodern settings is by 
 Mr. Edward Hine. The composition, which is agreeable, is in the key 
 of E b, and its compass is from the lower D to the upper G, as with 
 the one previously mentioned. The music is announced as being an 
 " imitation of the old style." 
 
•MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 55 
 
 The same Act, Scene and persons. 
 
 " Hermia. Before the time I did Lysartder see, 
 Seem'd Athens like a paradise to me ; 
 O then, what graces in my love do well, 
 That he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell ! " 
 
 These four lines of a speech for Hermia have also been set as a 
 song for the same character, by Smith, in the " Fairies." It is written 
 in the da capo style, the third and fourth lines constituting the inner 
 movement. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. HELENA alone. 
 
 " Helena. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind ; 
 And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind. 
 Nor hath love's mind of any judgment taste ; 
 Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste ; 
 And therefore is Love said to be a child. 
 Because in choice he is so oft beguil'd." 
 
 Likewise, these six lines of a long speech for Helena have been 
 set by Smith in the " Fairies," as a song for that character. As with 
 the preceding, this, too, is composed in the da capo style, the fifth and 
 sixth lines forming the inner movement, and the first four being used 
 for the opening and the close. 
 
 Act II. Scene i. A wood near Athens. Enter a Fairy on one side, 
 and Puck on the other. 
 
 " Puck. How now, spirit ! whither wander you ? 
 Fairy. Over hill, over dale. 
 
 Thorough bush, thorough briar, 
 Over park, over pale. 
 Thorough flood, thorough fire ; 
 I do wander everywhere, 
 Swifter than the moon's sphere ; 
 
 Q 
 
56 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 And I serve the fairy queen 
 
 To dew her orbs upon the green ; 
 
 The cowslips tall her pensioners be ; 
 
 In their gold coats spots you see ; 
 
 Those be rubies, fairy favours, 
 
 In those freckles live their savours : 
 
 I must go seek some dew-drops here, 
 
 And hang a pearl in every cowslips' ear. 
 
 Farewell, thou lob of spirits, I'll be gone ; 
 
 Our queen and all our elves come here anon." 
 
 The first four lines of the Fairy's speech are used for a middle 
 movement in a very favourite piece, which was compounded by 
 Mr. Jackson, of Exeter. That composer has arranged, as a glee for 
 two sopranos, tenor, and bass, Dr. Arne's air, " Where the bee sucks." 
 The middle movement referred to above was composed by Mr. Jacksori 
 himself, and being written in the minor key, tells very effectively 
 indeed by way of contrast to Dr. Arne's cheerful melody. 
 
 Of this truly poetical speech for the fairy we have had three 
 elaborate settings^ in the solo form, by composers of our own time- 
 One of these is by Mr. Duggan, and another by Mr. Macfarren. This, 
 as we are informed, was composed for and sung by Madame Viardot. 
 The third of these settings was by the late Mr. Edward Fitzwilliam ; it 
 has an obligato accompaniment for the clarionet, and is to be found 
 amongst the composer's " Songs for a Winter Night." 
 
 Act n. Scene i. Oberon and PuCK. 
 
 " Oberon. That very time I saw (but thou could'st not,) 
 Flying between the cold moon and the earth, 
 Cupid all arm'd : a certain aim he took 
 At a fair vestal, throned by the west ; 
 And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, 
 As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts ; 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM'. 57 
 
 But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft 
 
 Quench'd in the chaste beams of the watery moon ; 
 
 And the imperial votaress passed on, 
 
 In maiden mediation, fancy-free. 
 
 Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell : 
 
 It fell upon a little western flower, — 
 
 Before, milk-white, now purple with love's wound, — 
 
 And maidens call it love-in-idleness." 
 
 There is a recitative and air called " Love-in-idleness," which 
 embraces the above fourteen lines of a speech for Oberon. The 
 music was composed by Mr. T. Cooke, for Madame Vestris, by whom 
 it was sung in the character of Oberon. 
 
 The same Act, Scene and persons. 
 
 " Oberon. I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, 
 Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows ; 
 Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, 
 With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine. 
 There sleeps Titania, some time of the night, 
 Lull'd in these flowers, with dances and delight." 
 
 There is a pleasing composition to these words by Mr. John 
 Percy. It is for a soprano voice, and it has the attraction of a flute 
 accompaniment superadded to that for the pianoforte. 
 
 Mr. Charles Horn's duet, composed to four out of the above six 
 lines, is an universal favourite. It was sung in the operatised " Merry 
 Wives of Windsor" (brought out more than forty years ago), in the 
 characters of Mrs. Page and of Ann Page. 
 
 Act II. Scene 3. The wood. Enter TiTANIA and her train. 
 " Titania. Come, now a roundel, and a fairy song ; 
 
 Sing me now asleep : 
 Then to your offices, and let me rest." 
 
58 ■ SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Song. 
 
 I. " 
 
 " First Fairy. You spotted snakes, with double tongue, 
 Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen ; 
 Newts, and blindworms, do no wrong ; 
 Come not near our fairy queen : 
 
 Chorus. 
 Philomel, with melody. 
 Sing in our sweet lullaby ; 
 Lulla, lulla, lullaby; luUa, luUa, lullaby; 
 Never harm, nor spell, nor charm, 
 Come our lovely lady nigh. 
 So, good night, with lullaby. 
 
 II. 
 Second Fairy. Weaving spiders, come not here ; 
 
 Hence, you long-Iegg'd spinners, hence ; 
 Beetles black, approach not near ; 
 Worm,- nor snail, do no offence. 
 
 Chorus. 
 Philomel, with melody, &c. 
 
 Second Fairy. Hence, away ; now all is well ; 
 One, aloof, stand sentinel." 
 
 The four-voiced glee, " You spotted snakes," by Mr. R. J. Stevens, 
 is a general favourite, and most deservedly so in every respect. There 
 is also another composition in the glee form, by Mr. W. B. Earle, 
 treated, however, di^rently from that by Mr. Stevens, which closes at 
 the words " Lulla, lulla, lullaby." Mr. Earle adds the second fairy's 
 words, 
 
 " Hence, away ; now all is well ; 
 One, aloof, stand sentinel," 
 
 and makes his last movement a spiritoso. 
 
 " You spotted snakes " occurs in Smith's opera " The Fairies," 
 wherein the words are set as a solo for Titania. This arrangement 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 59 
 
 necessitating some little change in the words ^^ our fairy queen," 
 
 becomes " the fairy queen," and the line 
 
 " Come our lovely lady nigh " 
 is changed into 
 
 " Come the fairy's pillow nigh." 
 
 This fairy song and chorus has been composed by Mendelssohn as 
 
 a soprano solo, with a chorus of sopranos and altos. After the chorus 
 
 the words " Hence, away," &c., are set as solo, according to the scene 
 
 in Shakespeare. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. Enter Puck. 
 
 " Puck. Through the forest have I gone, 
 But Athenian find I none, 
 On whose eyes I might approve 
 This flower's force in stirring love. 
 Night and silence ! who is here .' 
 Weeds of Athens he doth wear. 
 This is he my master said 
 Despised the Athenian maid. 
 
 So awake, when I am gone; 
 For I must now to Oberon." 
 
 These lines, selected from a speech for Puck, have been composed 
 by Mrs. J. B. Gattie,very prettily, constituting a most agreeable little 
 solo canzonet. It commences and closes in the major key of G, and 
 has a middle movement in the minor key. 
 
 Act III. Scene i. The Wood. The Queen of (the) Fairies lying 
 asleep. Bottom^ solus. 
 
 " Bottom. I see their knavery ; this is to make an ass of me ; to fright me, if they 
 could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can : I will walk up and down 
 here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid." [Sings.] 
 The woosel-cock, so black of hue, 
 
 With orange-tawny bill, 
 The throstle with his notes so true, 
 The wren with little quill ; 
 
 R 
 
6o SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 TiTANiA. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed ? [ Waking.] 
 
 The finch, the sparrow, and the lark. 
 
 The plain-song cuckoo gray. 
 Whose note full many a man doth maik. 
 
 And dares not answer, nay.'' 
 
 There are notes to this song for Bottom in Mr. Caulfield's Collec- 
 tion. No name of any composer is given, so that they may be very 
 ancient. It is possible, too, that Purcell may have done a setting of 
 the song in his opera of " The Fairy Queen," which may be considered 
 as an operatised " Midsummer Night's Dream." However, the music 
 of Purcell's work, in its entirety, was very early lost, and only a few 
 portions appear to have been printed. 
 
 From a book of the play as it was performed at Drury Lane 
 Theatre about 1 762, we find that this song was sung, and that it was 
 composed by Mr. Burney. This we learn from a list given of all the 
 songs then performed, with the composer's names appended to each. 
 Whether this or other songs newly composed for the occasion were 
 ever published I do not know. 
 
 The same Act. Scene 2. Another part of the wood. Oberon. 
 Demetrius l^/ing asleep. 
 
 " Oberon. Flower of this purple die, 
 Hit with Cupid's archery, 
 -Sink in apple of his eye ! 
 When his love he doth espy. 
 Let her shine as gloriously 
 As the Venus of the sky. 
 When thou wak'st, if she be by. 
 Beg of her for remedy." 
 
 This speech for Oberon has been set to music, as a short largo 
 movement, by Smith, in " The Fairies," and sung in the character of 
 Oberon. 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 6l 
 
 The same Act and Scene. Oberon and Puck. 
 
 Compounded from certain speeches for Oberon and Puck, there is 
 a recitative and air by Mr. T. Cooke, which was sung by Miss Rainforth, 
 as the First Fairy, in the " Midsummer Night's Dream." The recita- 
 tive, which was a largo movement, embraces these words from a 
 speech for Puck : — 
 
 " Lo, night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, 
 And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger ; 
 At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there, 
 Already to their wormy beds are gone ; 
 For fear lest day should look their shames upon." 
 
 The air, which is an allegro spiritoiso) , runs to these picturesque 
 words from a speech for Oberon : — 
 
 " But we are spirits of another sort : 
 I with the morning's love have oft made sport ; 
 And, like a forester, the groves may tread, 
 Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red, 
 Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams. 
 Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streams." 
 
 The words 
 
 " But we are spirits ,of another sort ; 
 I with the morning's love have oft made sport,'' 
 
 are then, with considerable repetition, and a certain demand for 
 execution from the singer, made the close of the piece, which seems 
 to cari^y with it some reminiscences of Weber's style. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. Puck solus. 
 
 " Puck. Up and down, up and down ; 
 I will lead them up and down : 
 I am fear'd in field and town ; 
 Goblin, lead theiii up and down.'' 
 
62 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Of these lines, three settings have certainly been done. The first 
 ■ in order is the one in Smith's " Fairies," which is pretty. Then a few 
 years afterwards we have another by Mr. Burney, and in our own time 
 a third, by Mr. T. Cooke, which was sung by Madame Vestris in the 
 character of Oberon. In this setting the words are slightly altered 
 from the original, thus : — 
 
 " Up and down, up and down, 
 Spirit lead them up and down ; 
 Thou art fear'd in field and town, 
 Spirit, lead them up and down." 
 
 Two lines from a speech for Oberon are then worked in thus, in 
 
 an altered form :^— 
 
 " Lead these rivals so astray. 
 As one come not in other's way." 
 
 And the song closes with the words 
 
 " Spirit, lead them up and down." 
 
 This setting is very pretty, and well suited for a limited mezzo- 
 soprano, its compass being only from F natural to the lower C. 
 
 Act V. Scene i. The Apartment in the Palace of THESEUS. 
 
 It is in this scene that we have that play which was performed 
 before Theseus and his Court by the " hard-handed men " of Athens,, 
 and which is described by Lysander as being 
 
 "A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus and his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth." 
 
 This is mentioned because John Frederick Lampe, more than a 
 century ago, composed a burlesque opera called " Pyramus and 
 Thisbe," which contains no less than six pieces of music, that is, five 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 63 
 
 songs and a duet, the words of all from the play acted by Bottom and 
 his associates. The titles of the songs are — i. " And thou, O wall ; " 
 2. " O, wicked wall;" 3. "Approach, ye furies;" 4. "Now, am I 
 dead ; " 5. " Those lily lips ; " and 6, the duet, " Nat Cephalus to 
 Procris." There is much merit in the music of " Pyramus and 
 Thisbe," and the song, " O, wicked wall," may be particularised as 
 being very excellent indeed. 
 
 Act V. Scene 2. Enter PuCK, solus. 
 
 " Puck. Now the hungry lion roars, 
 
 And the wolf behowls the moon ; 
 Whilst the heavy ploughman snores, 
 
 All with weary task fordone. 
 Now the wasted brands do glow, 
 
 Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud. 
 Puts the wretch, that lies in woe, 
 
 In remembrance of a shroud. 
 Now it is the time of night, 
 
 That the graves, all gaping ,wide, 
 Every one lets forth his sprite, 
 
 In the church-way paths to glide : 
 And we fairies, that do run 
 
 By the triple Hecate's team, 
 From the presence of the sun. 
 
 Following darkness like a dream, 
 Now are frolic ; not a mouse, 
 Shall disturb this hallow'd house ; 
 I am sent, with broom, before, 
 To sweep the dust behind the door." 
 
 Enter Oberon and TiTANiA, with their train. 
 
 " Oberon. Through the house give glimmering light, 
 By the dead and drowsy fire : 
 Every elf, and fairy sprite, 
 
 Hop as light as bird from brier ; 
 
64 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 And this ditty, after me, 
 Sing, and dance it trippingly. 
 
 TiTANiA. First, rehearse this song by rote : 
 To each word a warbling note, 
 Hand in hand, with fairy grace. 
 Will we sing, and bless this place." 
 
 Song and Dance. 
 
 " Oberon. Now, until the break of day. 
 
 Through this house each fairy stray. 
 
 To the best bride-bed will we. 
 
 Which by us shall blessed be : 
 
 And the issue, there create. 
 
 Ever shall be fortunate. 
 
 So shall all the couples three 
 
 Ever true in lovipg be ; 
 
 And the blots of nature's hand. 
 
 Shall not in their issue stand ; 
 
 Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar. 
 
 Nor mark prodigious, such as are 
 
 Despised in nativity. 
 
 Shall upon their children be. 
 
 With this field-dew consecrate. 
 
 Every fairy take his gait ; 
 
 And each several chamber bless. 
 
 Through this palace, with sweet peace ; 
 
 Ever shall in safety rest 
 
 And the owner of it blest. 
 
 Trip away ; 
 
 Make no stay ; 
 Meet me all by break of day." 
 
 " Now the hungry lion roars " has been set by Mr. Richard 
 Leveridge, whose composition may be found in his Httle two-volume, 
 collection pubHshed in 1727. The plan of this setting is solo for 
 first, second, &c., up to an eighth fairy, with a chorus to each 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. 65 
 
 solo, which chorus is upon Oberon's words, " Hand in hand," &c. 
 Mr. Leveridge has made some occasional alterations in the words, 
 and to his sixth fairy has assigned the words " Weaving spiders, 
 come not here," &c., transplanted from the second act of this play. 
 
 Puck's speech has also been elaborately set by Mr. R. J. Stevens 
 as a glee for four voices ; soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. This com- 
 position closes at the line " Follow darkness hke a dream." The 
 speech has likewise been set by Mr. Linley as a solo for Puck. This 
 song is in two movements ; the first slow and in C minor, and the 
 second is an allegro in C major, from the words " And we fairies," to 
 the end. " Now the hungry lion roars " has also been composed as a 
 chorus in four parts, and for male voices, by Sir Henry Bishop. This 
 chorus was sung in the " Two Gentlemen of Verona," by the outlaws. 
 It closes, very appropriately for the occasion, at the words " In the 
 churchway path? to glide." 
 
 There is a pretty song, set by Mr. Charles Horn, and sung in the 
 operatised " Merry Wives of Windsor," to a fewhn'es of Puck's speech, 
 commencing at the ninth Hne, " Now it is the time of night ;" the word 
 ^^ Now" if I remember rightly (not having seen the music for many 
 years), is changed into " When " in this song. 
 
 Dr. Cooke has composed a favourite five-part glee and chorus, 
 commencing with Oberon's words, "Hand in' hand." A song com- 
 mencing with Oberon's words, " Now, until the break of day," is to be 
 found in Smith's opera, "The Fairies," and Oberon's words, "Meet 
 me all by break of daj^," will be found introduced into a largo maestoso 
 movement, by Sir Henry Bishop, in his chorus, " Spirits advance." 
 
66 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. 
 
 Act II. Scene 3. Leonato'S garden. Enter DON PEDRO, 
 Leonato, and Claudio. 
 
 " Don Pedro. Come, shall we hear this music 1 
 
 Claudio. Yea, my good lord : — How still the evening is, 
 As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony ! 
 
 Enter Balthazar, with music. 
 Don Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that song again. 
 
 Balthazar sings. 
 
 I. 
 
 Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more ; 
 
 Men were deceivers, ever ; 
 One foot on sea and one on shore ; 
 To one thing constant never : 
 Then sigh not so. 
 But let them go. 
 And be you blithe and bonny ; 
 Converting all your sounds of woe 
 Into, Hey nonny, nonny. 
 
 Sing no more ditties, sing no mo 
 
 Of durnps so dull and heavy ; 
 The fraud of men was ever so, 
 
 Since summer first was leavy. 
 Then sigh not so," &c. 
 
 The earliest setting of Balthazar's song with which I am at 
 present acquainted is one composed by Dr. Arne, for Mr. Beard to 
 sing in " Much Ado About Nothing." In this setting there is an 
 unpleasing and tasteless change of the original burthen, " Hey, nonny, 
 nonny " into " Hey down derry," with " bonny " turned into " merry " 
 for the sake of the rhyme. This setting was originally printed in the 
 
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. 67 
 
 key of D, and with only the word' chorus placed over the notes of the 
 burthen. In the " Shakespeare Album " it is reproduced and trans- 
 posed into B b, so as to be suitable for a baritone voice, the compass 
 then being from the upper F natural to the lower B b. In addition, the 
 chorus is written out in full for soprano, contralto, tenor and bass. 
 
 The next setting appears to be one by Smith, in " The Fairies," 
 and is a solo for the part of Oberon ; the burthen is omitted, and 
 some other slight alterations are contrived to render the whole more 
 suitable to the part of the Fairy King. The music is pretty, and in 
 the convenient compass of the upper F natural and the lower C. It 
 has been reproduced by Mr. Caulfield in his Collection, but he has 
 omitted to give the composer's name. 
 
 There is a five-part setting of " Sigh no more ladies " by 
 Mr. R. J. Stevens, which I conceive to rank amongst his most 
 favourite glees. Mr. W. Linley has set it himself in its proper solo 
 form, including of course the burthen. 
 
 In our own times three settings of Balthazar's song have 
 appeared. One is a part-song, composed by Mr. G. Macfarren ; a 
 second is a duet for soprano and contralto voices by Mr. Balfe. 
 Finally, in 1865, it was set as a solo for a tenoi: voice by Mr. Arthur 
 Sullivan. 
 
 Act V. Scene 2. Leonato's garden. Enter Benedick and 
 Margaret, meeting. 
 
 " Benedick. Pray thee, sweet mistress Margaret, deserve well at my hands, by helping 
 me to the speech of Beatrice. 
 
 The god of love, \_Singing. 
 
 That sits above, 
 And knows me, and knows me, 
 How pitiful I deserve." 
 
 T 
 
68 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 To this little piece of Benedick's singing there are anonymous 
 notes in Mr. Caulfield's Collection. 
 
 The same Act, Scene 3. The inside of a church. Enter DON 
 Pedro, Claudio and Attendants, with music and tapers. 
 
 " Claudio. Is this the monument of Leonato ?" 
 Attendant. It is, my lord. 
 Claudio. [Reads from a scroll^ 
 
 Done to death by slanderous tongues, 
 
 Was the Hero that here lies : 
 Death in guerdon of her wrongs. 
 
 Gives her fame which never dies : 
 So the life that died with shame 
 Lives in death with glorious fame. 
 
 Hang thou there upon the tomb, 
 Praising her when I am dumb. 
 
 Now, music sound, and sing your solemn hymn. 
 
 Song. 
 
 Pardon, Goddess of the night, 
 Those that slew thy virgin knight ; 
 For the which, with songs of woe, 
 Round about her tomb they go. 
 
 Midnight, assist our moan ; 
 
 Help us to sigh and groan. 
 Heavily, heavily; 
 
 Graves yawn, and yield your dead 
 
 Till death be uttered, 
 Heavenly, heavenly." 
 
 As to the lines upon the scroll read by Claudio, I have never seen 
 but one setting of them, which was in a book of " Elegies and Glees/' 
 ^composed by Theodore Aylward about 1770? This setting of " Done 
 
OTHELLO. 6g 
 
 to death by slanderous tongues " is for four voices, and is styled_ by 
 the composer " An Elegy." The close is judiciously made at the words 
 
 ' " Lives in death with glorious fame." 
 
 With respect to the " Solemn hymn," as Claudio phrases it, 
 " Pardon, Goddess of the night," three settings at least can be 
 affirmed. One of these is by Dr. Arne, and very well done, in a serious 
 style. It is intended, apparently, for a soprano voice, and is written 
 in the key of F minor. This composition has been reprinted in 
 Mr. Caulfield's Collection. 
 
 Then there is another solo setting, also in a minor key, by 
 Mr. Chilcot. This is perhaps one of that composer's best efforts, and 
 it has been reproduced in the " Shakespeare Album." 
 
 Thirdly, " Pardon, Goddess of the night," has been set by 
 Mr. Linley in this form. A short opening foif instruments, a contralto 
 solo for an attendant, then duet for two attendants (sopranos), with 
 chorus for sopranos and bass. The whole seems very fittingly to 
 express the dramatic situation. 
 
 OTHELLO. 
 
 Act II. Scene 3. lAGO, Cassio, Montano and gentlemen. 
 
 In this scene there are two snatches of song for lago, one 
 beginning 
 
 " And let me the canakin, clink, clink,'' 
 and the other 
 
 " King Stephen was a worthy peer." 
 
 Of these it may be observed that in Mr. Caulfield's Collection notes 
 are given for each ; anonymous, as usual, with these incidental 
 snatches of, singing, 
 
70 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 " And let me the canakin clink" has been given by Mr. Linley in 
 the form of a catch for lago, Cassio and Montano. 
 
 Act IV. Scene 3. A room in the Castle. Desdemona and Emilia. 
 
 In this scene occurs the " Song of Willow," sung by Desdemona. 
 Of this Willow-song six settings at least are now before the world. 
 The first, which was published not many years ago, was contained in a 
 MS. of about the year 1600. This ancient melody was arranged with 
 symphonies and accompaniments by Mr. Thomas Oliphant, and thus 
 rendered fitting for modern use. 
 
 About 1780 we find the Willow-song set as a solo by Signor 
 Giordani, whose melody has also been arranged as a glee for three 
 voices by Mr. J. Morehead. Of three other solo settings, one was by 
 Mr. William Linley, a second by James Hook, whose composition has 
 been lately reproduced in the " Shakespeare Album," and a third by 
 Sir Henry Bishop for the " Comedy of Errors," in which it was sung 
 by Miss Stephens. 
 
 Lastly, the distinguished composer Mr. Arthur Sullivan, in 1865, 
 gave us the " Willow Song" set as a solo for a contralto voice. 
 
 ROMEO AND JULIET. 
 
 Act I. Scene 5. A hall in Capulet's house. 
 
 Whatever music I know of in connection with this play is wholly, 
 as might have been expected, connected with the speeches of Romeo 
 and Juliet. In the above scene, towards its termination, is a dialogue 
 for the lovers, commencing 
 
 " If I profane with my unworthiest hand," 
 
ROMEO AND JULIET. 7 1 
 
 which has been pleasingly set to music by Mr. Hutchinson as a duet 
 for soprano and tenor voices. ^ 
 
 Act II. Scene 2. Capulet's garden. ROMEO. ]\]LiKT appears above 
 at a -window. 
 
 From this fine scene also a duet for soprano and tenor has been 
 taken. It commences with Romeo's words, 
 
 " Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear," 
 
 and was composed by Dr. J. Kemp, as, one of his " Illustrations of 
 Shakespeare." A violoncello accompaniment is added to that for the 
 pianoforte. 
 
 " Sweet, good night," is a song, containing about twelve lines, 
 very well selected, from Juliet's speeches in this scene. It was com- 
 posed by Mr. Howard Glover; and appropriately entitled "Juliet's 
 Song." 
 
 The same Act, Scene 5. Capulefs garden. 
 
 From a speech for Juliet in this scene Dr. Kemp has taken one 
 of his " Illustrations of Shakespeare ;" it is a solo, commencing 
 
 " Love's heralds should be thoughts," 
 and has accompaniments for the pianoforte and violoncello. 
 
 Act HI. Scene 5. Loggia /o Juliet's Chamber. Enter Romeo and 
 Juliet. 
 
 " Juliet. Wilt thou be gone ? it is not yet near day: 
 It was the nightingale, and not the lark, 
 That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear ; 
 Nightly she sings on yon' pomegranate tree : 
 ' Believe me, love, it was the nightingale. 
 
 U 
 
72 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Romeo. It was the lark, the herald of the morn, 
 
 No nightingale ; look, love, what envious streaks 
 Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.'' 
 
 There is a duet composed by Mr. Percy, which he calls " The 
 garden scene in Romeo and Juliet," based upon this scene in the third 
 Act. In this case, however, instead of using Shakespeare's words just 
 as they stand, Mr. Percy has thought fit to versify them. For this he 
 apologises very humbly, as not imagining that he could improve upon 
 Shakespeare, but thinking that thus he could better adapt the scene to 
 music ! Surely a very great mistake. Mr. Percy has thrown the 
 poetry into six verses, the first five being solos in dialogue between 
 Romeo and Juliet. Juliet commences at "Wilt thou be gone?" &c. 
 Then Romeo has a verse, and so on alternately. At the sixth verse 
 the two voices are brought together. 
 
 One of Mr. J. Reekes's " Six Songs, the Poetry selected from the 
 works of Shakespeare," is compounded from the above-cited eight 
 lines of dialogue for Romeo and Juliet ; but one cannot help thinking 
 that this fusion of the two speeches into a solo is not the most happy 
 of ideas. The words seem particularly well-fitted for treatment as a 
 duet. Otherwise Mr. Reekes's song, which is somewhat expanded and 
 calls for very nice singing, is really a pleasing piece of music. 
 
 TAMING OF THE SHREW. 
 
 Induction. Scene 2. A bedchamber in the Lord's house. Sly is 
 discovered in a rich night-gown, with Attendants ; some with 
 apparel, others with bason, ewer^ and other appurtenances. Enter 
 Lord, dressed like a servant. 
 
 " Lord. 'Wilt thou have music? hark! Apollo plays, 
 And twenty caged nightingales do sing ; 
 Or wilt thou sleep .' we'll have thee to a couch. 
 Softer and sweeter than the lustful bed 
 On purpose trimm'd up for Semiramis. 
 
TAMING OF THE SHREW. 73 
 
 Say, thou wilt walk ; we will bestrew the ground : 
 Or wilt thou ride ? thy horses shall be trapp'd, 
 Their harness studded all with gold and pearl. 
 Dost thou love hawking ? thou hast hawks will soar 
 Above the morning lark ; or wilt thou hunt ? 
 Thy hounds shall make the welkin answer them, 
 And fetch shrill echoes from the hollow earth." 
 
 These words, with a few sHght alterations and omissions, were set 
 by Mr. T. Cooke, and sung by Miss Fanny Ayton in the operatised 
 " Taming of the Shrew." Mr. Cooke's composition opens with an 
 andante, carried on to the words, 
 
 " Will soar 
 Above the morning lark." 
 
 And this is followed by an allegro, in \ time, and in the hunting style, 
 commencing with the words, 
 
 " Say, wilt thou hunt," 
 
 and closing with these, 
 
 " Our hounds shall fetch shrill echoes from the hollow earth." 
 
 For a soprano singer with a certain amount of executive power, 
 and who could sustain the upper G through nearly five bars, this piece 
 may be charaqterised as an effective one in the category of the now 
 almost forgotten Hunting Song. 
 
 Act II. Scene i. Padua. A room in Baptista's house. Petrucio, 
 solus. 
 
 " Petrucio. Say, that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain 
 She sings as sweetly as the nightingale : 
 Say, .that she frown ; I'll say, she looks as clear 
 As morning roses newly wash'd with dew ; 
 
74 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Say, she be mute, and will not speak a word ; 
 
 Then I'll commend her volubility, 
 
 And say she uttereth piercing eloquence." 
 
 Although these words as they stand axe not connected with music, 
 yet they forhi the basis of the poetry to one of Sir Henry Bishop's 
 most favourite songs. I allude to " Should he upbraid," composed for 
 and sung by Miss M. Tree, as Juha, in the " Two Gentlemen of 
 Verona." Here follow the words of Julia's song: — 
 
 " Should he upbraid, I'll own that he prevail. 
 And sing as sweetly as the nightingale. 
 Say that he frown,' I'll say his looks I view, 
 As morning roses newly tipt with dew. 
 Say he be mute, I'll answer with a smile, 
 And dance and play, and wrinkled care beguile." 
 
 TEMPEST. 
 
 Act I. Scene 2. The Island. Before the cell of Ykos^'kko. Miranda 
 asleep. Prospero and ARIEL in the Scene. 
 
 " Prospero. Hast thou, spirit, 
 
 Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee .' 
 Ariel. To every article. 
 
 I boarded the king's ship ; now on the beak. 
 Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, 
 I flam'd amazement : sometime I'd divide 
 And burn in many places ; on the topmast, ' 
 The yards and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly, 
 Then meet, and join. Jove's lightnings, the precursors. 
 O' the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary 
 And sight-outrunning were not ; the fire and cracks 
 Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune 
 Seem to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble, 
 Yea, his dread trident shake." 
 
TEMPEST. 75 
 
 In Smith's operatised " Tempest " there is a long accompanied 
 recitative for Ariel, " Now I flam'd amazement," embodying the above- 
 cited speech. A song follows, which is also for Ariel, but the words 
 are not from Shakespeare. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. Prospero. Miranda. Re-enter Ariel, 
 invisible, playing and singing. FERDINAND following him. 
 
 Ariel's Song. 
 
 " Come unto these yellow sands, 
 And then take hands : 
 Courtsied when you have, and kiss'd 
 
 The wild waves whist, 
 Foot it featly here and there, 
 
 And, sweet sprites, the burden bear. 
 Burden. Hark, hark ! Bowgh, wowgh. 
 The watch-dogs bark : 
 Bowgh, wowgh. 
 Ariel. Hark, hark ! I hear 
 
 The strain of strutting chanticleer 
 Cry, Cock-a-doodle-doo." 
 
 " Ferdinani), Where should this music be .' i' the air, or the earth ? 
 It sounds no more ; — and sure it waits upon 
 Soine god of the island. Sitting on a bank. 
 Weeping again the king my father's wrack. 
 This music crept by me upon the. waters ; 
 Allaying both their fury, and my passion, 
 With its sweet air ; thence I have follow'd it, 
 Or it hath drawn me rather : — But 'tis gone." 
 
 Purcell's beautiful composition of the words 
 " Come unto these yellow sands" 
 
 is universally known. There is, indeed, a setting prior to Purcell's 
 existing. This was by Mr. John Banister, a musician of Charles the 
 Second's time. As to the musical merits of the respective com- 
 
76 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 positions, it can only be said that there is all the difference between 
 them ! " Come unto these yellow sands " is also to be found in the 
 Solo form, set by Smith in his operatised " Tempest ;" and Sir John 
 Stevenson has produced a very popular setting of the poem as a glee 
 for three voices, first and second soprano and bass, with a double 
 pianoforte accompaniment. 
 
 After the soliloquy given above, ending with the words " But 'tis 
 gone," Ferdinand exclaims, " No, it begins again," and Ariel is heard 
 singing his second song :' — 
 
 " Full fathom five thy father lies ; 
 Of his bones are coral made ; 
 Those are pearls that were his eyes : 
 
 Nothing of him that doth fade, 
 But doth suffer a sea-change 
 Into something rich and strange, 
 Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell : 
 
 [Burden, Ding, dong. 
 Hark ! now I hear them, — Ding-dong, bell." 
 
 Here again we have a justly-celebrated composition by Henry 
 Purcell, which has also been (as with Ariel's first song) preceded 
 by an inferior setting from Mr. Banister. In Smith's operatised 
 " Tempest " there is a very good setting of " Full fathom five," which 
 has been reprinted twice, at least. One of the reprintings is in the 
 " Musical Library," and the other, published singly, is an arrangement 
 by Mr. E. Loder. It may be observed, as curiously showing how in 
 successive editions the fact of the authorship becomes confused, that 
 in Mr. Loder's arrangement of Smith's " Full fathom five," Purcell's 
 chorus, belonging to his own setting of the song, has been added to 
 Smith's composition without any intimation being gixfin as to the real 
 authorship. 
 
 " Full fathom five " has also been set, as I fully beheve, in still 
 
TEMPEST. 77 
 
 earlier times than those of Banister, by Robert Johnson ; but I will 
 reserve what is to be said upon that' point until we come to Ariel's 
 third song, " Where the bee sucks." ' Lastly, " Full fathom five " is 
 amongst the Shakesperian settings of Mr. Arthur Sullivan. 
 
 Act II. Scene i. Another part, of the island. AlONZO, SEBASTIAN, 
 Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, and others in the 
 scene. Music. Re-enter ARIEL,, invisible. 
 
 " Ariel. My master, through his art, foresees the danger 
 That you, his friend, are in ; and sends me forth 
 (For else his project dies), to keep them Hving. 
 
 [Sings in Gonzalo's ear. 
 
 While you here do snoring lie 
 Open-eyed conspiracy 
 His time doth take : 
 If of life you have a care, 
 Shake oif slumber, and beware ; 
 Awake ! awake ! " 
 
 In Mr. Caulfield's Collection is a setting of this little song, for 
 Ariel. There is no name afExed to it, but it strikes me as being, very 
 possibly, the work of Dr. Arne. It is pleasing, but curiously enough 
 it is made to terminate with the words 
 
 " Shake off slumber, and beware," 
 
 omitting the certainly still more dramatic call, "Awake! awake!" of 
 the original. 
 
 In Mr. William Linley's work there is another setting of the 
 words (quite complete), which he informs us was taken from a MS, 
 left by his brother TTiomas Linley. 
 
78 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 The same Act, Scene, 2. Another fart of the island. Caliban and 
 Trinculo in the scene. Enter Stephano, singing, a bottle in 
 his hand. 
 
 In Mr. Caulfield's Collection two snatches of music are given to 
 the words sung by Stephano, with some judicious abbreviation of the 
 words appertaining to the second snatch. These two snatches are 
 entitled " Stephano's Songs, as sung by Mr. Bannister." To these 
 Mr. Caulfield affixes the following note: — 
 
 " These little pieces being sung without accompaniment, are not to be found in either 
 of the libraries ofthe London theatres.'' 
 
 Mr. Caulfield then adds that they are given " as performed by 
 Mr. John Bannister." 
 
 The same Act and Scene. Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban, 
 drunk. 
 
 " Stephano. Trinculo, the king and all our company else being drowned, we will 
 inherit here. — Here ; bear my bottle. Fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him by and by again. 
 
 Caliban. Farewell, master; farewell, farewell. S^Sings drunkenly. 
 
 Trinculo. A howling monster ; a drunken monster. 
 
 Song. 
 
 Caliban. No more dams I'll make for fish ; 
 
 Nor fetch in firing 
 
 At requiring, 
 Nor scrape trenchering, nor wash dish ; 
 'Ban, 'Ban, Ca — -Caliban, 
 Has a new master — Get a new man." 
 
 Smith's operatised " Tempest " contains the very excellent setting 
 of Cahban's song, 
 
 " No more dams I'll make for fish,'' 
 a setting which has been at least twice reprinted, with the name of 
 
TEMPEST. 79 
 
 Purcell attached to it instead of that of the real composer. Dr. Clarke, 
 in his " Beauties of Purcell," has made this mistake. Smith's setting 
 has also, in one arrangement which I have seen, had the unfortunate 
 trick played with it of being transposed from the original key of D into 
 F, the third higher, by which means it becomes rather a tenor than a 
 bass song, which it really is, and certainly should be for such a part as 
 that of Cahban. Mir. Linley has reproduced in his work Smith's setting 
 in its original key, has noticed the mistake of its being attributed to 
 Purcell, and likewise added some commendatory words as to its real 
 merits. It cannot but be concluded that some early setting of 
 Caliban's song must exist, but I have never been able to obtain any 
 evidence of the fact, or indeed of any at all, excepting the composition 
 in question by Smith. 
 
 N.B. — "Caliban" is the title of a baritone song, composed by 
 Mr. J. W. Hobbs, which commences (in F. minor) with "'Ban, 'Ban," 
 &c. This song has various movements to words belonging to the part 
 of Caliban, and finishes in F major. 
 
 Act III. Scene 2. Enter Stephano and Trinculo ; CALIBAN 
 following with a bottle. 
 
 " Caliban. Thou makest me merry : I am full of pleasure ; 
 Let us be jocund : Will you troll the catch 
 You taught me but while-ere '>. 
 Stephano. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason ; come on, Trinculo, 
 let us sing. \_Sings. 
 
 Flout 'em, and scout 'em ; and scout 'em, and flout 'em ; 
 Thought is free." 
 
 In Mr. Caulfield's Collection is a catch for Stephano, Trinculo 
 and Caliban, with Henry Purcell's name affixed. 
 
 Y 
 
8o SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Act IV. Scene i. Before Prospero's cell. Enter Prospero, 
 Ferdinand and Miranda. 
 
 " Prospero. What, Ariel ; my industrious servant, Ariel ? 
 
 Enter Ariel. 
 
 Ariel. What would my potent master? here I am. 
 
 Prospero. Thou and thy meaner fellows, your last service 
 Did worthily perform ; and I must use you 
 In such another trick : go, bring the rabble. 
 O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place : 
 Incite them to quick motion ; for I must 
 Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple 
 Some vanity of mine art ; it is my promise. 
 And they expect it from me. 
 
 Ariel. Presently ? 
 
 Prospero. Ay, with a twink. 
 
 Ariel. Before you can say. Come, and Go, 
 And breathe twice ; and cry. So, so ; 
 Each one, tripping on his toe. 
 Will be here with mop and mowe." 
 
 These last four lines of speaking for Ariel have been set as a song 
 (for Ariel) in Smith's operatised " Tempest," with some lines from 
 Dryden pieced on for a conclusion. 
 
 Again, Ariel's words are to be found in Mr. Linley's work, set by 
 his brother Thomas, from whose MS. the music had been selected. 
 The words " Before you can say " of the original are here altered into 
 " Ere you can say." 
 
 There is a curious circumstance connected with this composition, 
 and also with the other one taken by Mr. Linley from the MSS. of 
 his brother. I allude to the song, " While you here do snoring lie," 
 already treated of under the second Act of the "Tempest." In the 
 
TEMPEST. 8 1 
 
 Gresham Library there are two MS. settings in full score, with the 
 name of S. Wesley upon them, of these two identical songs for Ariel. 
 When, several years ago, I first came upon these, I naturally thought 
 that I had found compositions by Samuel Wesley, but it was not so. 
 I was not then well acquainted with Mr. Linley's work, and therefore 
 had to learn, after all, that these were the compositions of Thomas 
 Linley. A most reasonable solution of the apparent difficulty would 
 seem to be that Mr. Wesley had put the full orchestral accompaniments 
 to these songs (which, of course, have only the usual pianoforte 
 accompaniment in Mr. Linley's work), and then, while writing his own 
 name upon the MS., had omitted the name of the composer. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 " Prospero. Now, come, my Ariel ; bring a corollary, 
 
 Rather than want a spirit : appear, and pertly. 
 
 No tongue ; all eyes ; be silent. \_Soft music. 
 
 A Masque. 
 
 Song. 
 
 Juno. Honour, riches, marriage blessing, 
 
 Long continuance, and increasing, 
 
 Hourly joys be still upon you ! 
 
 Juno sings her blessings on you. 
 Ceres. Earth's increase, foison plenty, 
 
 Barns and garners never empty ; 
 
 Vines, with clust'ring branches growing ; 
 
 Plants with goodly burthen bowing ; 
 
 Spring come to you, at the farthest. 
 
 In the very erid of harvest ! 
 
 Scarcity and want shall shun you ; 
 
 Ceres' blessing so is on yoli." 
 
 The earhest setting of these words which I have as yet met with 
 is contained in a scarce volume to be found in the British Museum 
 
82 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Library, the date of which we may presume to range somewhere- 
 between the years 1740 and 1750. This setting is a solo, entitled 
 " The friendly wish, from Shakespeare," being one of twelve English 
 and Italian songs which the volume in question contains, all of them 
 the composition of a lady named Gamberini. In this particular song 
 from Shakespeare there is a variation in the fifth line, which one 
 scarcely knows whether to consider as being simply a mistake or as 
 an attempt at a new reading, " foison plenty " being changed into 
 " joysom plenty." 
 
 There are at least three compositions in the duet form to the 
 words now in question, a form which seems much more appropriate 
 than that of the solo, as in the original they are a dialogue for the 
 goddesses Juno and Ceres, and the listener expects and wishes the two 
 voices to unite at the close. The first in order of time of these duets 
 is the one composed by Mr. Linley, which is written for two sopranos. 
 The next, to be dated about 1859, and which is entitled " Homage to 
 Shakespeare," bears the name of H. Van der Abeelen as that of the 
 composer. It is in the very useful form of a duet written for a low 
 mezzo-soprano (only touching the upper F sharp) and a contralto. 
 Finally, we now have Mr. Arthur Sullivan's setting for two sopranos, 
 being part of that " Tempest " mtisic for which he has obtained so 
 much commendation. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 A little further on in this masque we have a speech by Iris, which 
 
 closes with the following lines, spoken upon the entrance of certain 
 
 nymphs : — 
 
 " You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary, 
 Come hither from the furrow, and be merry ; 
 Make holiday : your rye-straw hats put on, 
 And these, fresh nymphs encounter every one 
 In country footing." 
 
TEMPEST. 83 
 
 These words have been set in the glee form for two tenors and a 
 bass by Mr. Hutchinson, whose name has already been mentioned. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 After the close of the masque we soon have that speech for 
 Prospero in which occurs the following celebrated lines : — 
 
 " The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, 
 Th§ solemn temples, the gi'eat globe itself. 
 Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve ; 
 . And like this insubstantial pageant faded. 
 Leave not a rack behind." 
 
 These words have been set by Mr; R. J. Stevens as a glee for six 
 voices, which is a very well-known and favourite work. Instead of the 
 line, 
 
 " And like this insubstantial pageant faded," 
 
 Mr. Stevens has adopted a line which occurs just before, but still in 
 Prospero's speech, viz., "And, like the baseless fabric of this vision." 
 It is, in fact, the line immediately preceding " Th.& cloud-capp'd 
 towers." 
 
 Act V. Scene i. Before the cell o/Prospkro. Eni er Frospero in 
 his magic robes j and ARIEL. 
 
 " Prospero. Now does my project gather to a head : 
 
 Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves ; 
 And ye that on the sands with printless foot 
 Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him 
 When he comes back : you demi-puppets, that 
 By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make, 
 
84 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Whereof the ewe not bites ; and you whose pastime 
 Is to make midnight mushrooms ; that rejoice 
 To hear the solemn curfew ; by whose aid 
 (Weak masters though ye be) I have bedimm'd 
 The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds, 
 And 'twixt the green sea, and the azur'd vault 
 Set roaring war : to the dread rattling thunder 
 Have I given fire, and rifled Jove's stout oak, 
 With his own bolt ; the strong-bas'd promontory 
 Have I made shake ; and by the spurs pluck'd up 
 The pine and cedar ; graves, at my command. 
 Have wak'd their sleepers ; op"d, and let them forth 
 By my so potent art : But this rough magic 
 I here abjure ; and, when I have requir'd 
 Some heavenly music, (which even now I do,) 
 To work mine end upon their senses that 
 This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff. 
 Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, 
 And, deeper than did ever plummet sound, 
 I'll drown my book." 
 
 In Smith's " Tempest " there is a long accompanied recitative 
 for Prospero, which, commencing with the words 
 
 " Now does my project gather to a head," 
 
 is carried on to these words, " But this rough magic I here abjure." 
 A song for Prospero follows upon this recitative, but it is not to words 
 by Shakespeare. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 " Prospero. Ariel, 
 
 Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell ; 
 
 \Exit Ariel. 
 
 I will disease me, and myself present. 
 
 As I was sometime Milan : — quickly, spirit ; 
 
 Thou shalt ere long be free." 
 
TEMPEST. 85 
 
 Ariel re-enters singing, and helps to attire Prospkro. 
 
 Ariel. Where the bee sucks, there suck 1 ; 
 In a cowslip's bell I lie : 
 There I couch when owls do cry, 
 On the bat's back I do fly. 
 After Summer merrily. 
 Merrily, merrily, shall I live now. 
 Under the blossom that hangs on the bough." 
 
 When treating of Ariel's second song, " Full fathom five," and 
 of my belief that the early setting by Robert Johnson still existed, it 
 was said that the full treatment of that point should be reserved for 
 Ariel's last song, " Where the bee sucks," concerning which the same 
 belief is entertained by me. 
 
 If it could be shown that settings actually exist of " Full fathom 
 five," and of " Where the bee sucks," by a musician contemporary 
 with Shakespeare, a certain interest would of course attach to the fact. 
 Those who have read Dr. Burney's history (the great authority upon 
 so many musical matters) might suppose that the compositions alluded 
 to are not extant, and must conclude that Dr. John Wilson was the 
 composer of what I imagine to be Robert Johnson's settings of the 
 before-mentioned songs. I wish now to offer the reasons for thinking 
 that Dr. Burney has fallen into a mistake (a most natural one, how- 
 ever) in this particular matter. To proceed as much as possible by 
 regular steps we will first quote the Doctor's own words, which will 
 be found in a note belonging to the third volume of his History, and 
 at page 335. Dr. Burney is speaking specially of the " Tempest," 
 and says : — 
 
 " Of the songs in this play Dr. Wilson, who reset and published two of them, tells 
 us in his "Court Ayres or Ballads," published at Oxford, 1660, that "Full fathom five" 
 and " Whefe the bee sucks" had been first set by Robert Johnson, a composer cotemporary 
 with Shakespeare." 
 
86 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Thus far Dr. Burney, who by-the-way has made a sUght mistake 
 in writing " Court Ayres," instead of " Cheerful Ayres," as Dr. Wilson's 
 title ; that circumstance, however, is of no consequence to our present 
 argument. It is fortunate for the inquirer that in the British Museum 
 there should be a copy of Dr. Wilson's work, which is in three volumes ; 
 the first and second volumes being given to the first and second 
 soprano parts, and the third volume to the bass. Thus runs the title 
 of the work, and the expressions are noteworthy. 
 
 " ' Cheerful Ayres or Ballads,' first composed for one single voice, and since set for 
 three voices." 
 
 We cannot do better now than to follow up this by giving exactly 
 certain words used by Dr. Wilson hirnself in his preface to these 
 " Cheerful Ayres." Those words are very significant indeed. 
 
 " Some few of these ayres were originally composed by those whose names are affixed 
 to them, but are here placed as being new set by the author of this work." 
 
 Now upon examining Dr. Wilson's work, it will be found to 
 contain three airs with the name of Robert Johnson affixed to them, 
 and two airs with the name of Nicolas Laniere affixed. All the rest of 
 the airs have Dr. Wilson's own name indicated ; and when I saw what 
 it was that Dr. Wilson really did say, it seemed unquestionable to me 
 that the phrase new set did not mean, as Dr. Burney apparently 
 conceived it to mean (and as it would mean now), newly composed, but 
 newly arranged or harmonised. That is, the phrase meant that the 
 air of another composer had been taken and newly arranged for 
 three voices by Dr. Wilson. A priori, it seems most unlikely that if 
 Dr. Wilson had newly composed these five songs that he should have 
 put the names of Robert Johnson and of Nicolas Laniere to them 
 simply because they had once composed music to the same words. 
 Afterwards, this high probability, that Dr. Wilson by the word set 
 merely meant arranged, seemed to be raised into something like 
 
TEMPEST., 87 
 
 absolute certainty by examining the Doctor's title-page with a minute 
 carefulness. I will now requote a passage, only inserting my own 
 italics : — 
 
 " 'Cheerful Ayres or Ballads,' //-j/ composed for single voice, and since set for three 
 voices." 
 
 Thus then it would appear that Dr. Wilson's work consists of 
 what we should now describe as " Songs harmonised for three voices ;" 
 and moreover, that Dr. Wilson retained to five, out of some seventy, 
 songs the names of Robert Johnson and of Nicolas Laniere, for the 
 one very simple reason that the melodies were theirs. 
 
 That same " Where the bee sucks," which, in its three-voiced 
 form, is in the " Cheerful Ayres," with Robert Johnson's name to it, 
 is also to be found in Playford's " Musical Companion," reproduced 
 exactly, with Dr. Wilson's name, and anyone knowing only that 
 authority must needs accept it implicitly, but having now traced the 
 evidence further back, I offer very unhesitatingly the present view as 
 to Robert Johnson's claim to the melodies of Ariel's two songs for the 
 consideration of musical antiquaries. 
 
 Proceeding in the regular order of time, the next composition of 
 " Where the bee sucks " to be noted is one by Pelham Humphry, a 
 musician not unknown to fame, and whose name occurs several times 
 in the Diary of Samuel Pepys. The printed music of this setting, 
 which is on a sheet in the British Museum, is headed as " A Song in 
 the machines, by Ariel's spirits." 
 
 Dr. Rimbault has told us that he possesses in MS. Purcell's 
 setting of " Where the bee sucks." As to Dr. Arne's composition, 
 that certainly is the settingj as yet, and. is known to every one 
 interested in English music. In Smith's " Tempest " another setting 
 still occurs, and, just about the same time, a fourth by Nicolo Pasquali. 
 
 A A 
 
88 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 This one will be found amongst "XII. English Songs in Score, 
 collected from Masques and other Entertainments." It is a solo 
 setting in two movements — the first a largo, and the second an allegro 
 — commencing 
 
 " On the swallow's wings I fly, 
 
 instead of 
 
 " On the bat's back do I fly." 
 
 To conclude our fist, we have now, comprised among Mr. Sullivan's 
 " Tempest " music, another setting of Ariel's famous song, which 
 appears to have been met with a very marked approbation. 
 
 TWELFTH NIGHT. 
 
 Act I. Scene i. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. „ Enter DUKE, 
 Curio, Lords .- musicians attending . 
 
 " Duke. If music be the food of love, play on. 
 Give me excess of it ; that, surfeiting, 
 The appetite may sicken, and so die. 
 That strain again ; — it had a dying fall ; 
 O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south 
 That breathes upon a bank of violets. 
 Stealing, and giving odour. — Enough ; no more." 
 
 Of these words there is a setting by Mr. James Clifton, which is 
 very excellent, perhaps the very best extant. The composition is 
 treated as a recitative and air in four flats, and is very fitting for a 
 singer who has real declamatory quaHties. It has been lately repro- 
 duced in the " Shakespeare Album." 
 
 Mr. Charles Horsley has also, more recently, set the Duke's 
 
TWELFTH NIGHT. 89 
 
 speech, and with a certain poetical feehng. One cannot help thinking 
 that the crescendo at the top of the second page, upon the words 
 
 " It had a dying fall," 
 
 must be here by an oversight, or that the words 
 
 " That strain again " 
 
 were 'really intended to be there. The suggestion cannot be illustrated 
 without the music, but the point is stated for the consideration of 
 anyone wishing to sing Mr. Horsley's composition. 
 
 In a set of " Eight songs and four duets/' an early work by Sir 
 John Stevenson, is an air commencing with the words 
 
 " That strain again," 
 
 and embracing the last four of the seven hnes for the Duke, which 
 have been cited above. The air is in four flats, with a compass from 
 the upper F natural to the A b below the line, and might I think be 
 executed either by a contralto or a baritone voice. 
 
 In the operatised " Tarning of the Shrew " there is a quartett, 
 beginning 
 
 " If music be the food of love." 
 
 It is for two sopranos, tenor and bass, and is 2. pasticcio composition 
 by Sir John Stevenson and Mr. T. Cooke. About twenty years ago 
 this speech was set to music by Mr. A. Matthey as a canzonet. It is 
 written in five flats, and treated in an appropriate style ; the compass 
 of voice required is only from the upper G flat to the lower C. 
 
 Mr. George, Benson, the vocalist, produced about 1863 a "Prize 
 Glee " commencing 
 
 " If music be the food of love.'' 
 
90 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 The same Act, Scene 5. A room in Olivia's house. OLIVIA and 
 Viola. 
 
 " Olivia. Why, what would you ? 
 
 Viola. Make me a willow cabin at your gate, 
 
 And call upon my soul within the house ; 
 Write loyal cantons of- contemned love 
 And sing them loud, even in the dead of night ; 
 Holla your name to the reverberate hills. 
 And make the babbling gossip of the air 
 Cry out, Olivia ! O, you should not rest 
 Between the elements of air and earth. 
 But you should pity me." 
 
 This speech for Viola has been set to music by Mr. Braham, and 
 was also sung by him in the operatised " Taming of the Shrew," in 
 which piece he personated Hortensio. Mr. Braham's setting is long, 
 and would require, to execute it adequately^ a tenor voice extending 
 two octaves, that is from B b below the line to B b above it. The 
 composition is in two movements, the first being an andante (largo^ 
 and the second an allegro in | time. There are a few very slight 
 verbal changes made in the setting. 
 
 Act II. Scene 3. A room in Olivia's house. Sir Toby, Sir 
 Andrew and the Clown. 
 
 " Sir Andrew. Now, a song. 
 
 Sir TobV. Come on ; there is sixpence for you ; let's have a song. 
 Sir Andrew. There's a testril of me too ; if one knight give a — 
 Clown. Would you have a love-song, or a song of good life .? 
 
 Sir Toby. A love-song, a love-song. 
 Sir Andrew. Ay, ay ; I care not for good life. 
 
TWELFTH NIGHT. 9I 
 
 Song. 
 Clown. O mistress mine, where are you roaming.? 
 O stay and hear ; your true love's coming, 
 
 That can sing both high and low : 
 Trip no further, pretty sweeting ; 
 Journeys end in lovers meeting, 
 Every wise man's son doth know. 
 
 What is love ? 'tis not hereafter; 
 Present mirth hath present laughter ; 
 
 What's to come is still unsure : 
 In delay there lies no plenty ; 
 Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty, 
 
 Youth's a stuff will not endure." 
 
 The above song, which is the first of the pieces allotted to the 
 Clown in " Twelfth Night," has been set several times, both in the solo 
 and concerted form. Of solos may be enumerated the following. One 
 m Mr. Chappell's work, which is, we may presume, the eariiest known, 
 and which is, of course, anonymous. Mr. Linley has composed "O 
 mistress mine," and so Hkewise has Mr. J. Addison. In Mr. J. Reekes's 
 " Six Songs " from Shakespeare a setting of this one is included. It 
 has been executed very agreeably, and would be suitable for either 
 tenor or baritone. The key is F, and the cornpass required is from 
 the lower D to the upper F. In the second verse Mr. Reekes has used 
 the three last lines of the first verse instead of those of the second 
 verse. Mr. Sullivan has lately added to the list of the solo settings by 
 writing one which is sung by Mr. Santley. 
 
 There has been a madrigalian treatment of our song by the 
 Marchioness of Anspach, as we may learn from the following heading 
 to a duet arrangement of her composition : — 
 
 " 'O! mistress mine,' a favourite Madrigal, composed by her Serene Highness, the 
 Margravine of Anspach, and adapted for two voices, by Joseph Major." 
 
 Also, amongst the excellent glees of Mr. R. J. Stevens is one 
 
 composed to the words in question. 
 
 B B 
 
92 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 In Mr. Caulfield's Collection are to be found '' Scraps of Song " 
 (sung without accompaniment) to the following snatches : — 
 
 " Sir Toby. Tilly-vally ! lady ! — There dwelt a man in Babylon, lady, lady. 
 Sir Toby. Farewell, dear heart, since I must needs be gone. 
 Clown. His eyes do show his days are almost done. 
 Sir Toby. But I will never die. 
 Clown. Oh there. Sir Toby, there you lie.'' 
 
 The same Act, Scene 4. A room in the Duke'S palace. Enter 
 Duke, Viola, Curio and others, 
 
 " Duke. Give me some music ; — Now, good motrow, friends ; 
 Now, good Cesario, but that piece of song. 
 That old and antique song we heard last night ; 
 Methought, it did relieve my passion much ; 
 More than light airs and recollected terms, 
 Of these most brisk and giddy-paced times : 
 Come, but one verse. 
 
 Curio. He is not here, so please your lordship, that should sing it. 
 
 Duke. Who was it ? 
 
 Curio. Feste, the jester, my lord ; a fool, that the lady Olivia's father took much 
 delight in : he is about the house. 
 
 Duke; Seek him out, and play'the tune the while. 
 
 \_Exii Curio. Miisic. 
 
 Re-enter Curio and Clown. 
 
 Song. 
 
 Clown. Come away, come away, death. 
 And in sad cypress- let me be laid ; 
 
 Fly away, fly away, breath ; 
 I am slain by a fair cruel maid. 
 My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, 
 
 O, prepare it ; 
 My part of death no one so true 
 Did share it." 
 
TWELFTH NIGHT, 93 
 
 Not a flower, not a flower sweet, 
 On my black cofiin let there be strown ; 
 Not a friend, not a friend greet \ 
 My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown : 
 A thousand thousand sighs to save. 
 
 Lay me, O, where 
 Sad this lover never find my grave. 
 To weep there." 
 
 Of this second song for the Clown, " Come away death," I have 
 now met with six different settings, four in the solo form and two for 
 united voices. As to the solos, the earliest of those is the composition 
 of Dr. ArnCj and it purports to have been sung by Mr. Lowe. It is in 
 the minor key of F, with four flats, and is, of its kind, very good. A 
 tenor voice, ranging from the upper A b to the lower C, is what the 
 setting requires for its due performance. The next solo setting, which 
 I should -^place somewhere about 1790, is the work of " Maria Hester 
 Park," is in several movements, and is inscribed to Dr. Parsons. Then 
 there is another solo setting, which is anonymous, being only described 
 as " By a Lady ; " and lastly, the fourth is by Mr. William Linley, 
 whose composition alternates from E minor to E major, and may be 
 characterised as written for a baritone voice, the compass being from 
 the upper E to the lower B. 
 
 ■ The fifth and sixth upon our list of settings axe in the glee form, 
 the earliest being by Mr. R. J. Stevens, and the most recent by 
 Mr. G. A. Macfarren. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. The DUKE and ViOLA. 
 
 " Viola. My father had a daughter lov'd a man, 
 
 As it might be, perhaps, were I a woman, 
 I sliould your lordship. 
 Duke, And what's her history ? 
 
94 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 ViaLA. A blank, my lord : she never told her love, 
 But let concealment, like a worm i' the bud, 
 Feed on her damask cheek : she pin'd in thought ; 
 And, with a green and yellow melancholy 
 She sat, like patience on a monument. 
 Smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed ? 
 We men may say more, swear more ; but, indeed. 
 Our shows are more than will ; for still we prove 
 Much in our vows, but little in our love." 
 
 Portions of the above-quoted celebrated speech of Viola have 
 been set to music upon, at all events four, several occasidns. All the 
 world of music is necessarily acquainted with Haydn's setting as a solo 
 canzonet, which, commencing at the words " She never told her love," 
 closes upon the phrase " Smiling at grief," omitting the intermediate 
 Hne, 
 
 " And with a green and yellow melancholy.'' 
 
 Of this elegant composition, by such a master as Haydn, we find from 
 the original edition that it was one of a set of " Six Canzonets," which . 
 were dedicated to Lady Charlotte Bertie. 
 
 The well-known Dr. Harrington, of Bath, has produced a "Setting 
 from the words of the scene now treated of, which is described as. being 
 " Viola's account of her own conceal'd love, in Shakespeare's ' Twelfth 
 Night.' " This composition, which is a terzetto, opens with the line 
 " My father had a daughter," of a speech of Viola, and the close is 
 carried on to the interrogation, "Was not this love indeed?" which, 
 it will be seen, immediately follows upon the words " Smihng at grief." 
 This terzetto is contained in a book of Dr. Harrington's compositions, 
 which I should suppose to be of about the end of the last century. 
 
 Another piece of music based upon Viola's speech is a duet for 
 two sopranos, composed by Mr. George Nicks. The same opening and 
 
TWELFTH NIGHT. 95 
 
 closing words are used in this duet as in Haydn's canzonet, but the 
 words omitted in that are here retained. This duet has the pecuUarity 
 of possessing a quaint dedication to the ladies by whom it was 
 originally sung, in which those ladies are " comforted marvellous much " 
 by the assurance that, 
 
 " In a free country (merry old England), which abounds with discerning and 
 DESERVING young cavaliers, there can be no fear that either of you will be doomed to sit 
 
 ' Like patience on a monument,. 
 Smiling at grief.' " 
 
 The quotation is certainly apt, and it is always pleasant to see the 
 great poet aptly quoted from. The date of the duet I should place as 
 being about 1842. " She never told her love " has also been set in the 
 serious glee form by Mr. Edward Hime, about 1856. This composition 
 is for four male voices. 
 
 Act III. Scene I. Olivia's garden. Olivia awi Viola. 
 
 " Olivia. Cesario, by the roses of the spring," 
 
 By maidhood, honour, truth and everything, 
 I love thee so, that maugre all thy pride, 
 Nor wit, nor reason, can my passion, hide. 
 Do not extort .thy reasons from this clause, 
 For, that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause : 
 But, rather, reason thus with reason fetter ; — 
 Love sought is good, but given unsought is better. 
 
 Viola. By innocence I swear, and by my youth, 
 
 I have one hestrt, one bosom, and one truth. 
 And that no woman has ; nor never none 
 Shall mistress be of it, save I alone ; 
 And so adieu, good madam ; never more 
 Will I my master's tears to you deplore. 
 
 Olivia. Yet come again ; for thou, perhaps, may'st move, 
 That heart, which nowabhors, to Hke his love." 
 
 C C 
 
96 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 There is a duet for Olivia and Viola, of which the music is an 
 adaptation and alteration, by Sir Henry Bishop, from the German 
 composer, Winter. The words of this duet are selected and rhodified 
 from the above-cited piece of dialogue, and the' duet itself was sung by 
 Miss Greene and Miss M. Tree in the operatised " Twelfth Night." 
 
 Act IV. Scene 2. A room in Olivia's house. Malvolio and the 
 Clown. 
 
 In this scene between Malvolio and the Clown, the latter has two 
 snatches of song, one commencing " Hey Robin, jolly Robin," and the 
 other, " I am gone, sir," both of which have their notation given in 
 Mr. Caulfield's Collection. 
 
 Act V. The Epilogue Song. 
 
 " Clown. When that I was and a little tiny boy, 
 
 With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 
 A foolish thing was but a toy. 
 
 For the rain it rainetb every day. 
 
 But when I came to man's estate, 
 
 With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 
 
 'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate. 
 For the rain it raineth every day. 
 
 But when I came, alas ! to wive. 
 
 With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 
 
 By swaggering could I never thrive. 
 For the rain it raineth every day; 
 
 But when I came unto my bed, 
 
 With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 
 
 With toss-pots still had drunken head. 
 For the rain it raineth every day. 
 
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. 97 
 
 A great while ago the world beguny 
 
 With, hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 
 But that is all one, our play is done. 
 
 And we'll strive to please you every day." - 
 
 This " Epilogue 3ong " for the Clown has, certainly been set twice 
 at least, once in the solo form and once as a glee. The solo setting is 
 inserted by Mr. Linley in his work, and is attributed by him to a 
 Mr. Fielding, but apparently without anything that looks like authority. 
 I understand, however, from Dr. Rimbault that it was really composed 
 by Mr. Vernon, a well-known tenor singer at the theatres and public 
 places about a century ago. 
 
 The other setting of the Epilogue Song is by Sir John Stevenson, 
 whose composition is a glee for four voices, treble, counter-tenor, tenor, 
 and bass. 
 
 TWO GENTLEMEN OF YERONA. 
 
 Act I. Scene 3. Verona. A room in Antonio's house. Proteus 
 alone. 
 
 " Proteus. O, how this spring of love resembleth, 
 
 The uncertain glory of an April day, 
 Which now shares all the beauty of the sun, 
 And by and by a cloud takes all away !" 
 
 These four lines of a speech for Proteus have been very elaborately 
 set (under the title of "The spring time of love") as a solo for Miss 
 M. Tree, by whom the song was sung in the operatised " Two 
 Gentlemen of Verona." The song extends in compass from the upper 
 A down to the lower B, and is animated and effective. 
 
98 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Act 2. Scene 7. Verona. A rootn in Julia's house. Enter Julia 
 and LUCETTA. 
 
 " Julia. The current, that with gentle murmur glides, 
 
 Thou know'st, being stopt, impatiently doth rage ; 
 
 But, when his fair course is not hindered, 
 
 He makes sweet music with the enamel'd stones, 
 
 Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge 
 
 He overtaketh in his pilgrimage ; 
 
 And so by many winding nooks he strays, 
 
 With willing sport, to the wild ocean. 
 
 Then let me go, and hinder not my course : 
 
 I'll be as patient as a gentle stream. 
 
 And make a pastime of each weary step, 
 
 Till the last step have brought me to my Love ; 
 
 And there I'll rest, as, after much turmoil, 
 
 A blessed soul doth in Elysium.'' 
 
 Taken from this speech there is a canzonet by M. M. Allnatt, 
 commencing with the words, " Hinder not my course," and including 
 the three following lines. The song is in A, four flats, and shows an 
 aspiration pleasing to see in thus setting poetry of the higher order to 
 music. The publication is within these few years. 
 
 Act IV. Scene 2. Milan. Court of the Palace. Enter Thurio 
 and Musicians. 
 
 Song. 
 " Who is Silvia ? what is she. 
 
 That all our swains commend her ? 
 Holy, fair, and wise is she. 
 
 The heavens such grace did lend her, 
 That she might admired be. 
 
 Is she kind, as she is fair. 
 
 For beauty lives with kindness ? 
 Love doth to her eyes repair 
 
 To help him of his blindness ; 
 And, being help'd, inhabits there. 
 
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. 99 
 
 Then to Silvia let us sing, 
 
 That Silvia is excelling ; 
 She excels each mortal thing, 
 
 Upon the dull earth dwelling : 
 To her let us garlands bring." 
 
 There are settings of this beautiful little serenade poem in the 
 various forms of solo, of duet, and of glee. To begin with the solos, 
 the earliest that I as yet know is one composed by -Mr. Richard 
 Leveridge, who in 1727 pubUshed a collection of his own vocal music 
 in two small volumes (as before indicated), and in the -first of these 
 volumes will be found this serenade. Mr. Leveridge was a favourite 
 bass singer of his time, and showed decided merit in some of his 
 compositions, nor is it as generally known as it should be that he 
 was the composer of that excellent melody " Black-eyed Susan." 
 Mr. Leveridge's serenade has been reproduced in the "Shakespeare 
 Album," and whereas the original, being in the key of G, requires 
 quite a high soprano or tenor voice for performance, it is now trans- 
 .posed into D, making its highest note, instead of the upper B, only F, 
 and thus the song is fitted for a strictly medium voice. The Editor 
 of the " Shakespeare Album " has made a note of the fact that 
 this setting has been " frequently attributed to Dr. Arne." This 
 circumstance I have myself twice had occasion to observe, once in 
 Mr. Caulfield's Collection. In that volume a chorus, vivace, which 
 is not in Leveridge's book, has been added, set to the words, " Then 
 to Silvia let us sing," &c. 
 
 Another solo is for a high tenor voice in the key of F, and ranging 
 up to B flat. This purports to have been composed and sung by 
 Mr. Vernon, whose name has already been adverted to in connection 
 with the Epilogue Song for the Clown in "Twelfth Night." 
 
 The next solo setting to be recorded is that by Mr. Linley, 
 which has been reprinted in the " Harmonicon." Still nearer to our 
 
 D D 
 
lOO SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 own time we have another, "Who is Silvia?" ("Was ist Sylvia?") 
 composed as a solo by Franz Schubert, and pubhshed both with 
 English and German words. 
 
 The one duet setting on our list is a recent composition by 
 Mr. J. Duggan. It is for the very useful and not over-common species 
 of duet writing for the soprano and the bass. 
 
 "Who is Silvia?" has been composed in the glee form by 
 Mr. R. J. Stevens, as I learn from Mr." Linley, not having seen the 
 composition myself. The serenade has had music put to it twice by 
 Sir Henry Bishop for theatrical purposes, but on both occasions this 
 has been done only in pasticcio fashion. In one instance the first 
 movement is a Shakesperian air of Sir Henry's own (" By the simplicity 
 of Venus' doves"), adapted for the nonce, and the second movement 
 is from an air in Midas, fused together into one concerted piece. This 
 was sung in the operatised " Two Gentlemen of Verona." Sir Henry's 
 second pasticcio is also a concerted piece compounded from the old 
 composers, Morley and Ravenscroft, for use in the .operatised " Twelfth 
 Night." One really cannot help regarding these things with a certain 
 degree of discomfort and disapprobation. They may , be called for by 
 theatrical exigencies as to time, but artistically speaking they can only 
 be thought of as mere makeshifts. 
 
 "Who is Sylvia?" is also to be found, as a glee for, five voices, 
 in a collection of vocal music, composed by Mr. Samuel Webbe,. 
 junior ; and, to conclude our account of music connected with this 
 serenade, it has been set more recently as a part song by Mr. George 
 Macfarren. 
 
winter's tale. ■ lOI 
 
 WINTER'S TALE. 
 
 Act IV. Scene 2. Bohemia. A road near the Shepherd's cottage. 
 Enter AuTOLYCUS, singing. 
 
 " AuTOLYCus. When daffodils begin, to peer, 
 
 With' heigh ! the doxy over the dale, 
 Why then comes in the sweet o' the year ; 
 
 For the red blood reigns in the winter's pale; 
 
 The white sheet bleaching on the hedge. 
 
 With heigh ! the sweet birds, O, how they sing ! 
 
 Doth set my pugging tooth on edge ; 
 For a quart of ale is a dish for a king. 
 
 The lark that tirra-lirra chants. 
 
 With heigh ! with hey ! the thrush and the jay :. 
 
 Are summer songs for me and my aunts, 
 While we lie tumbling in the hay." 
 
 As to this first song for Autolycus I know but of one setting, 
 which is given by Mr. Linley in his work, and which he has no doubt 
 is the composition of Dr. Boyce. That. it must, however, have been 
 sung to some notes in earUer times one cannot well doubt. A 
 subsequent short song for Autolycus the Doctor has wrought into the 
 centre of this one. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 " Autolycus. But shall I go mourn for that, my dear.? 
 The pale moon shin^ by night : 
 And when I wander here and there, 
 I, then do most go right. 
 
 If tinkefs may have leave to live. 
 
 And bear the sow-skin budget : 
 Then my account I well may give 
 
 And in the stocks avouch it." 
 
I02 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Immediately after the song, " When daffodils begin to peer," 
 Autolycus communicates to us a piece of his personal history, " I 
 have served," says he, " Prince Florizel, and in my time wore three- 
 pile ; but now I am out of service." Upon this he bursts out into the 
 above-cited reflection, 
 
 " But shall I go mourn for that, my dear?" 
 
 Notes to this song (without any composer's name) are given in 
 Mr. Caulfield's Collection. This setting would most probably be 
 really a very ancient one, perhaps the first. Also, somewhere about 
 ,^740, we have another setting of this outburst by John Frederick 
 Lampe. A printed copy of this is in the British Museum Library of 
 Music. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. 
 
 " Autolycus. Jog on, jog on, the footpath way, 
 
 And merrily hent the stile-a : ^ 
 
 A merry heart goes all the day. 
 Your sad tires in a mile-a." 
 
 After some amount of soliloquising in his peculiar style, Autolycus 
 closes the scene with this snatch of song, notes to which are to be 
 found in Mr. Caulfield's Collection. These notes are anonymous. 
 Another noting, also in the solo form, is contained in Mr, Chappell's 
 work. Dr. Boyce, as I have already hinted, has wrought this snatch, 
 " Jog on, jog on," into his setting of the first song for Autolycus. 
 Lastly, about i860, we find the words set as a part song by Miss 
 C. A. Macirone. 
 
 The same Act, Scene 3. 30HEMIA. A Shepherd's cottage. Enter 
 Autolycus, singing. 
 
 ' " Autolycus. Lawn, as white as driven snow ; 
 
 Cyprus, black as e'er was crow ; 
 Gloves, as sweet as damask roses ; 
 
WINTER S TALE. 103 
 
 .Masks for faces, and for noses ; 
 
 Bugle bracelet, necklace-amber, 
 
 Perfume for a lady's charnber ; 
 
 Golden- quoifs and stomachers, 
 
 For my lads to give their dears ,; 
 
 Pins, and poldng-sticks of steel, 
 
 What maids lack from head to heel : 
 Come, buy of me, come ; come buy, come buy ; ■ 
 Buy, lads, or else your lasses cry : Come buy." 
 
 This, alluring son'g for Autolycus has not escaped the notice of 
 composers. For the purposes of the drama there are, at all events, 
 two solo settings to be had. One of these is in Mr. Caulfield's 
 Collection ; it is written within the compass of a ' baritone voice, 
 and is anonymous. Mr. Linley has composed the words as a tenor 
 song, and very successfully. His setting has been reproduced in the 
 " Harmonicon." > 
 
 In the " Cheerful Ayres " of Dr. Wilson we have " Lawn as white 
 as driven snow" in a three-voiced form, although, most probably, or 
 rather almost certainly in the first instance, only a solo. As to the 
 point involved in this opinion, the reader is referred back to the section 
 concerning Ariel's song, " Where the bee sucks," and its appearance in 
 Dr. Wilson's work. Again, we have " Lawn as white as driven snow " 
 in the glee form, from the pen of Dr. Benjamin Cooke, and once more 
 in the vocal Collection of Mr. Hutchinson. 
 
 The same Act and Scene. A trio between AuTOLYCUS and the two 
 Shepherdesses. DORCAS and MOPSA. 
 
 " Autolycus. Get you hence, for I must go 
 Where it fits not you to know. 
 Dorcas. Whither .? 
 MopsA. O, whither ? 
 
 Dorcas. Whither ? 
 
 E E 
 
I04 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 MopsA. It becomes thy oath full well. 
 
 Thou to me thy secrets tell ; 
 Dorcas. Me too, let me go thither. 
 MopsA. Or thou go'st to the grange, or mill '. 
 
 Dorcas. If to either, thou dost ill. 
 AuTOLYcus. Neither. 
 Dorcas. What, neither.? 
 Dorcas. Thou hast sworn my love to be ; 
 MopsA. Thou hast sworn it more to me : 
 
 Then, whither go'st ? say, whither. 
 
 Of this trio between Antolycus and the Shepherdesses I know of 
 no setting but that one undoubtingly attributed by Mr. Linley to 
 Dr.' Boyce, and reproduced by the former in his work. 
 
 • The same Act and Scene. 
 
 AuTOLYCUS. Will you buy any tape. 
 Or lace for your cape. 
 My dainty duck, my ,dear-a .? 
 ■Any silk, any thread, 
 Any toys for your head. 
 Of the new'st, and fin'st, fin'st wear-a ? 
 Come to the pedlar ; * 
 Money's a meddler. 
 That doth utter all men's ware-a." 
 
 This last song for Autolycus, " Will you buy any tape ? " is to be 
 found with notes set to it in Mr. Caulfield's Collection (no name 
 given of any composer). It has also been set by Dr. Boyce as a solo, 
 which setting is reproduced by Mr. Linley. Lastly, the words have 
 been treated as a catch by Dr. Cooke. 
 
 Of music in any way connected with the '^ Winter's Tale " I 
 know of absolutely none but that which is confined to the songs of that 
 " snapper-up of unconsidered trifles," Autolycus, including his trio 
 with Dorcas and Mopsa. I have never happened to meet with any 
 
SONNETS. 105 
 
 music set to''speeches from the " Winter's Tale," as we have found to 
 be the case occasionally with speeches from some of the other plays. 
 Here, therefore, may now end the enumeration whix:h I have, to my 
 best, made of the pieces of music connected with the. Plays of 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 SONNETS. 
 
 " VII. Lo ! in^the orient, when the gracious light.'" 
 
 This has been treated as a glee and chorus by- Sir Henry Bishop, 
 in the operatised " As you like it." 
 
 " XVIII. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day ? " 
 
 . This sonnet has been set as a duet by Mr. Charles Horn, and 
 was sung in the " Tempest." It has also been set as a solo by 
 Mr. E, Loder, being one of a set of " Six Songs." The three first 
 lines and the ninth line have been used by Mr. J. Reekes in his set 
 of " Six Shakespeare Songs." 
 
 " XXIX. When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes." 
 
 This has been set by Sir Henry Bishop, and was sung by 
 Miss M. Tree in the " Two Gentlemen of Verona." The song is in 
 two movements. The first an andante and the second an allegro 
 brillante. 
 
 ", XXXIII. Full many a glorious morning have I seen." 
 
 Eight lines from this sonnet have been set by Mr. Reekes, of 
 which- the first four are treated as a larghetto, a mixture of recitative 
 and air. The other four lines are treated as an allegro, of which the 
 
 words 
 
 " Even so my sun one early morn did shine, 
 With all triumjjhant splendour on my brow," 
 
Io6 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 are made the culmination. The whole song is long and elaborate, 
 and it requires a compass of two octaves, from the lower ta the upper 
 C. In style it reminds one of some of the bravuras belonging to old 
 Italian operas. 
 
 From this sonnet there is a song by Sir Henry Bishop with a 
 variety of movements, which was sung by Miss M. Tree in " Twelfth 
 Night." 
 
 " XL. Take all my loves, my love ; yea, take them all." 
 
 These words were composed by Mr. Charles Horn, and sung by 
 him in the " Tempest." They also constitute a cavatina composed by 
 Sir Henry Bishop, and sung by Miss Greene as OHvia in " Twelfth 
 Night." 
 
 " LIV. O, how much more does Beauty beauteous seem." 
 
 This forms a cavatina, likewise by Sir Henry, and sung by the 
 same lady and in the same'piece as the former. It was also composed 
 as a solo not many years since, by Mr. G. Barker, for the " Ballad 
 Album." 
 
 " LXIV. When I have seen by Time's fell hand defac'd." 
 
 There is a solo from this sonnet composed by Sir Henry Bishop, 
 and which commences at the fifth line, 
 
 " When I have seen the hungry ocean gain.'' 
 
 It was sung by Master Longhurst in the " Two Gentlemen of Verona," 
 as operatised, in the character of Philippe. 
 
 " LXXIII. That time of year thou maj'st in me behold." 
 
 The first eight Hnes of this sonnet form a canzonet composed by 
 Sir Henry Bishop, and sung by Miss M. Tree in the " Two Gentlemen 
 of Verona." 
 
SONNETS. 107 
 
 " LXXXVII. Farewell ! thou art too dear for my possessing." 
 
 The first four lines of this sonnet constitute the opening of .on6 of 
 Mi:. J. Reekes's " Six Songs from Shakespeare." 
 
 " XCVII. How like a winter hath my absence been." 
 
 Some lines from this sonnet have been wrought into a concerted 
 piece by Sir Henry Bishop in the operatised " Two Gentlemen of 
 Verona." 
 
 " CIX. O, never say that I was false of heart." 
 
 This sonnet has been set by Mr. M. P. King as a glee, or rather 
 as a species of trio, for it possesses a separate pianoforte accom- 
 paniment. The words have also been set by Sir Henry Bishop, quite 
 in the bravura style, as a song, which was sung by Miss Hallande as 
 Silvia in the "Two Gentlemen of Verona." 
 
 " CXVI. Let me not to the marriage of true minds 
 Admit impediments." 
 
 This sonnet (with the omission of the first four lines) has been 
 composed by Mr. Braham as a duet, which was sung by Miss Fanny 
 Ayton and the composer in the operatised " Taming of the Shrew." 
 The title of the duet was " Love is an ever-fixed mark," a slight 
 alteration of the fifth line in the sonnet. 
 
 " CXXIII. No ! Time, thou shalt not boast that I do change." 
 
 This was composed by Sir Henry Bishop for the operatised " As 
 you like it," it which it was sung by Miss Hammersley as Celia. This 
 composition opens with a largo and closes with an allegro. 
 
 " CXLVIII. O me ! what eyes hath love put in my head." 
 
 From this sonnet there is a song, also set by Sir Henry Bishop 
 
 for " As you Hke it," in which it was sung, in the part of Rosalind, by 
 
 Miss M. Tree. 
 
 F F 
 
Io8 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 THE PASSIONATE PILGRIM. 
 
 " V. Fair is my love, but not so fair as fickle." 
 
 There is an old madrigal which commences with these words. 
 They have also been used as a" song, composed by Sir Henry Bishop, 
 and sung in the part of Touchstone by Mr. Fawcett, in " As you 
 hke it." 
 
 " VI. If music and sweet poetry agree.'' 
 
 From this section is taken a song, composed and sung by 
 Mr. Braham, in the " Taming of the Shrew." The composition is an 
 andante, and is pleasing. 
 
 " VIII. Sweet rose, fair flower, untimely pluck'd, soon vaded." 
 
 There is a setting of this by Mr. Shield, who entitles his com- 
 position an " Elegy, sung at the tomb of a young* virgin." It is 
 written in four vocal parts, and accompaniments for " muffled drums," 
 " trumpet/' " Bells, with sordini," and " Flute," are indicated. This 
 work may be found in a book of " Canzonets and an Elegy, com- 
 posed by William Shield." Sir Henry Bishop has likewise set the 
 words as a " cavatina," which was sung by Miss M. Tree in the 
 " Comedy of Errors." 
 
 " X. Crabbed age and youth." 
 
 These words have been very happily set by Mr. R. J. Stevens as 
 a glee for four male voices, and it is a well-known and favourite 
 composition. There are also at least four other settings of this little 
 poem. One of these, by Signor Giordani, is a duet, apparently suitable 
 either for soprano or tenor voices. The date would be I should think 
 about 1780. There is again a solo setting of the words by the late 
 Earl of Westmorland. The other two settings alluded to are both by 
 
THE PASSIONATE PILGRIM. lop 
 
 Sir Henry Bishop, the first being a song which was sung by Miss 
 Greene as Olivia, in the operatised " Twelfth Night," while the second 
 was a totally different composition, being a dramatic trio for Rosalind, 
 Celia and Touchstone, which was written for a musical revival of "As 
 you like it," which took place above forty years ago. The original 
 singers were Miss M. Tree, Miss Hammersley, and the eminent 
 comedian, Mr. Fawcett. 
 
 " XIV. It was a lordling's daughter." 
 
 " It was a lordling's daughter" has been composed by Mr. Shield, 
 and a song to those words was sung by Madame Vestris in the " Merry 
 Wives of Windsor,"'which song was described as being " selected and 
 composed by Mr. Horn." Nearer to our own time we find the words 
 again set to music by Mr. Stephen Glover. 
 
 " XVI. My flocks feed not." 
 
 From this section were taken the words of three compositions, 
 which will be found In "Book of Madrigals, by Thomas Weelkes/' 
 published in 1597. The titles of these compositions were: — ist. " My 
 flocks feed not ; " 2nd. " In black mourn I ; " and 3rd. " Cl'ear wells 
 spring not." Each of these madrigals is composed in three parts for 
 first and second soprano, and tenor. The book containing them was 
 reprinted by the Musical Antiquarian Society in 1843. 
 
 " XIX. As it fell upon a day." 
 
 These words have certainly been set three times. They will be 
 found treated as a four-part madrigal In the book of collected com- 
 positions by the Earl of Mornlngton, and they have been composed by 
 Mr. William Knyvett as a madrigal in three parts, for three voices, 
 alto, tenor and bass. The date would be about 181 2. Thirdly, we 
 have the well-known and justly admired duet composed by Sir Henry 
 Bishop, and originally sung by Miss Stephens and Miss Tree In the 
 " Comedy of Errors." 
 
no SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 * 
 
 - VENUS AND ADONIS. 
 
 " Even as the sun, with purple-colour'd face." 
 
 From the opening lines of " Venus and Adonis " we have a very- 
 effective hunting-song, composed by Mr. Horn, and sung in the 
 operatised " Merry Wives of Windsor," in the character of Anne Page. 
 Again, in the hands of Sir Henry Bishop, " Even as the sun " appears 
 as one of his excellent hunting-pieces, in four parts, for male voices, 
 which was sung in " As you like it." 
 
 " Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear." 
 
 This is one of Sir Henry Bishop's best known and most justly 
 popular compositions. It was originally sung by Miss M. Tree, as 
 Viola, in " Twelfth Night." 
 
 " Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel." 
 
 These words were composed by Sir Henry Bishop as a song for 
 the poor love-lorn shepherd Silvius, in the operatised " As you 
 like it." 
 
 " If love have lent you twenty thousand tongues." 
 
 This was set as a song for Rosalind in " As you Hke it," by Sir 
 Henry Bishop, and sung by Miss M. Tree. There is also a careful 
 setting of the Hnes by Mr. Reekes as a solo. The compass of voice 
 required for this is from the lower B to the upper A ; the composition 
 itself is very pleasing. 
 
 " Lo ! here the gentle lark, weary of rest." 
 
 " Lo ! here the gentle lark" is a very favourite composition by 
 Sir Henry Bishop, with an obligato accompaniment for the flute. This 
 song, which requires executive abilities, was originally sung by Miss 
 Stephens as Adriana, in the " Comedy of Errors." 
 
NOTES. Ill 
 
 " To see his face the lion walked along." 
 
 These words have been set by Sir Henry Bishop as a round in 
 four parts for male voices, solo and chorus, which was sung in the 
 operatised " Two Gentlemen of Verona." 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 Note I (page 20). An occasional note as to a word or words in 
 one of Shakespeare's songs, when that note is written from real thought 
 or knowledge, will, it is presumed, be felt as being very appropriate and 
 interesting in' a work like the present. Upon this principle I shall here 
 give a note from Mr. Charles Knight's Shakespeare concerning the 
 use of the verb lies, in the singular, in relation to the Tplur al Jlowers in 
 
 "Hark! hark! the lark." [Cymieline']. 
 
 Mr. Knight's note is in these words : — 
 
 " This apparently false concord is in truth a touch of our antique idiom, which adds 
 to the beauty of this exquisite song." 
 
 Mr. Knight then refers us to another note of his upon a passage 
 in " Romeo and Juliet," wherein there is a similar false concord (that 
 is, false to modern ears). Romeo had said to the Friar, 
 
 " Both our remedies 
 Within thy help and holy physic lies ; " 
 
 upon which, as it appears, Mr. Monck Mason had been pleasied to 
 write the following dictum : — 
 
 " This is one of the passages in which the author has sacrificed grammar to rhyme." 
 
 To this observation Mr. Knight replies : — 
 
 " Before Shakespeare was accused of sacrificing grammar, it ought to have been 
 
 GG 
 
112 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 shown that his idiom was essentially different from that of his predecessors and his 
 cotemporaries." 
 
 Mr. Knight then quotes the authority of Dr. Percy, who writes 
 that 
 
 " In very old English the third person plural of the present tense endeth in eth, as 
 well as the singular, and often familiarly in es.'' 
 
 And this again from Mr. Toilet, that 
 
 " The third person plural of the Anglo-Saxon present tense endeth in eth, and of the 
 Dano-Saxon in es'' 
 
 Mr. Knight then proceeds thus, and as it appears to me, with 
 most sound reason : — 
 
 " Malone, we think, has rightly stated the principle upon which such idioms, which 
 appear false concords to us, should be corrected ; — ^that is, to substitute the modern idiom 
 in all places, except where either the metre or the rhyme renders it impossible. But to 
 those who can feel the value of a slight sprinkling of our antique phraseology,, it is 
 pleasant to drop upon the instances in which correction is impossible. We would not 
 part with the exquisite bit of false concord, as we must now term it, in the last word of the 
 four following lines,' for all that Shakespeare's grammar correctors have ever written ; — 
 
 ' Hark ! hark ! the lark at Heaven's gate sings, 
 And Phoebus 'gins arise. 
 His steeds to water at those springs. 
 
 On chalic'd flowers that lies.' " ' . 
 
 So far Mr. Knight, and I, for my part, feel that I can most 
 earnestly contend in support of his sentiments — in short, he must be 
 right ! 
 
 Many of us have seen the line 
 
 " With everything that pretty is" 
 
 in our " Morning Song " printed thus : — 
 
 " With everything that pretty bin." 
 
NOTES. 113 
 
 Mr. Knight remarks thus upon the transmutation of is into bin -. — 
 " Hantner changed this into bin — a pretty word ; but is occurs in the folio." 
 He also observes, 
 " We print the lines as they are printed in that edition,' " 
 
 and then throws out the idea as to the. two long Hnes : — 
 
 " ' And winking Mary-buds begin, to ope their golden eyes ; 
 With everything that pretty is— My lady sweet, arise : ' 
 That in all probability a different time of the air was indicated — a. more rapid movement." " 
 
 This of course may have been so. We are however still left in 
 a state of regret, and I may say, for myself at least, some degtee of 
 wonder that the original air should not have come down to us. 
 
 Note 2 (page 22). The Dirge in Cymheline. 
 
 Concerning this dirg'e I take the following passage frorn Mr 
 Knight's " Introductory Notice " to " Cymbehne." It is excellent 
 criticism, and pleasant to read in ' connection with our account of 
 musical compositions to Shakespeare's poetrv : — 
 
 " There is nothing to us more striking (writes Mr. Knight) than the contrast which is 
 presented between the free natural lyrics sung by the brothers over the grave of Fidele, 
 and the elegant poem which some have thought so much more beautiful. The one is 
 perfectly in keeping with. all that, precedes and all that follows, the other is entirely out of 
 harmony with its associations. " To fair Fidele's grassy tomb '' is the dirge of Collins 
 over Fidele ; " Fear no more the heat o' the sun " is Fidele's proper funeral song, by her 
 bold brothers." 
 
 Note 3 (page 34). Dumain'S Poem. {Ldve's Labopir LosL] 
 
 Mr. Knight has a remark concerning Dumain's poem, which I 
 
 will here transcribe.: — 
 
 . " This exquisite, canzonet was published in the miscellany called " The Passionate 
 Pilgrim," and it also appears in "England's Helicon," 1614. The line 
 
 ' Thou for whom Jove would swear ' 
 
114 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 reads thus in all the old copies ; but the modern editions, even Malone, have tampered 
 with the rhythm by giving us 
 
 ' Thou for whom even Jove would swear.' " 
 
 Regarding this observation I would desire to say that, upon 
 Mr. Knight's authority, I have followed him in his reading, as may be 
 seen. At the same time, while fully sympathising with his view of the 
 numerous barbarities inflicted upon Shakespeare by the editors, I must 
 own myself not able to perceive any charm in the circumstance that, 
 according to the old reading, there should be one line, 
 
 " Thou for whom Jove would swear," 
 
 having only six syllables, while all the other lines of the canzonet have 
 their seven syllables. In my present state of knowledge or perception 
 it seems to me that either ev'n or e'en is required to fill the ear. (See 
 the example given from Smith's setting of the canzonet.) However, I 
 have thought it but right to give my readers the statement from 
 Mr. Knight as so much material for a judgment of their own. 
 
 As to Mr. Jackson's description of his own setting of " On a day " 
 as an elegy, Mr. Knight writes thus : — 
 
 " This name is not quite consistent with our notion of the word Elegy ; but amongst 
 the Greeks and Romans it did not necessarily mean a mournful poem — it was merely 
 verse to be sung.'' 
 
 Note 4 (page 42). Mariana's Song. [Measure for Measure.] 
 
 As the authorship of Mariana's song is, it seems, a matter of 
 dispute, I avail myself of the interesting note upon that question 
 which is to be found in Mr. Charles Knight's admirable edition of 
 Shakespeare. I give the note in extenso : — 
 
 " ' Take, oh take those lips away.' 
 
NOTES. 115 
 
 " This charming lyric, as sung to Mariana, ■would appear perfect in itself but from 
 two circumstances ; first, Mariana says, ' Break off thy song,' which would lead one to 
 infer that, as we find it in the text, it is not complete ; secondly, we have the song, 
 apparently complete, in the tragedy of 'RollOj Duke of Norniandy,' ascribed to Fletcher, 
 and printed in Beaumont and Fletcher's works. We give the song as it stands in that 
 play: — 
 
 I. 
 
 ' Take, oh take those lips away 
 
 That so sweetly were forsworn, 
 And those eyes, like break of day, 
 
 Lights that do mislead the morn ; 
 But my kisses bring again 
 Seals of love, tho' seal'd in vain. 
 
 Hide, oh, hide those hills of snow, , 
 Which thy frozen bosom bears. 
 On whose tops the pinks that grow, 
 
 , Are yet of those that April wears ; 
 But first set my poor heart free. 
 Bound in those icy chains by thee.' 
 
 " The question then arises, is the song to be attributed to Shakespeare or to Fletcher ? 
 Malone justly observes, that all the songs introduced in our authors' plays appear to have 
 been his own composition. The idea in the line 
 
 ' Seals of love, but seal'd in vain,' 
 
 is found in the 142nd sonnet — 
 
 ' Not from those lips of thine. 
 That have .profan'd their scariet ornaments. 
 And seal'd false bonds of love, as oft as mine.' 
 
 The image is also repeated in the ' Venus and Adonis.' Weber, the editor of Beaumont 
 and Fletcher, is of opinion that the first stanza was Shakespeare's, and that Fletcher added 
 the second. . There is no evidence, we apprehend, external or internal, by which the 
 question can be settled." 
 
 So far then from Mr. Knight ; the note is certainly very 
 interesting, and the summing-up hard to be gainsaid. Yet one 
 
 H H 
 
I l6 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 remark, founded upon a feeling of my own, I wish to make. It is this : 
 that while the first verse, over and above its beauty, is enough for the 
 dramatic situation, and therefore enough for the audience (a most 
 important consideration), the second verse is surely much below the 
 first in merit. It is less clear ,• there seems more of what may be 
 ' called " a conceit" in the idea, and it therefore generates in the reader 
 a feeling of something very like an anti-climax. For these reasons it 
 appears to me that, the first verse being Shakespeare's, the second 
 might have been the work of an inferior fen. It certainly seems far 
 more likely that Shakespeare should have written a verse which 
 answers every dramatic purpose, and is in that sense complete for his 
 own work, than have taken it from Fletcher. On the other hand, it is 
 easier to imagine that as the verse, although complete for what was 
 wanted, seems as if it would bear a second added, Fletcher might take 
 upon himself to furnish that second verse. Finally, if my suggested 
 notion be correct, that there is an unmistakeable inferiority in that 
 second verse, all would be accounted for, and all would be just what 
 we might expect it would have been. 
 
 Note 5 (page 45). " Tell me where is fancy bred." [Merchant of 
 Venice^ 
 
 I wish here to quote in extenso a note from Mr. Knight's Shake- 
 speai-e concerning the words " Reply, reply," which close the first verse 
 of the song " Tell me where is fancy bred." 
 
 " These words," says Mr* Knight, " ' Reply, reply,' which are unquestionably part of 
 ihe song, were considered by Johnson to stand in the old copies as a marginal direction; 
 and thus from Johnson's time, in all editions except in Capell's and the last of Malone's, 
 the line has been suppressed. In all the old copies the passage is printed thus, in italic 
 
 ' How begot, how nourished. Replie, Replie.' 
 The reply is then made, and probably by a second voice. The mutilation of the song, in 
 
NOTES. 117 
 
 the belief that the words were a stage-direction, is certainly one of the most. tasteless 
 corruptions of the many for whichthe editors of Shakespeare are answerable." 
 
 Surely Mr. Knight's view is here the correct one. Some strange 
 perversity seems to have possessed the editors in their desire for 
 setting to rights ! Why should not the voice which asks the question, 
 
 " Tell me where is fancy bred, 
 Or in the heart, or in the head, 
 How begat, how nourished .^ " 
 
 demand an answer to its interrogation, and imperatively add the words 
 "Reply, reply?" As a stage-direction the words really seem to be 
 useless, for the " Reply " is there in its right place, following instantly 
 upon the question, and the two together are indeed one song. 
 
 Note 6 (page 50). SiR Hugh Evans's Song. \_Merry Wives of 
 Windsor. \ 
 
 From Mr. Knight's note respecting this song I extract the 
 following interesting passage : — 
 
 " The lines which Sir Hugh Evans hums over are a scrap of a song which we find in 
 that delicious pastoral scene of Isaac Walton, where the anglers meet the milk-maid and 
 her mother, and hear them sing ' That smooth song which was made by Kit Marlowe, 
 now at least fifty years ago ; . . . . old-fashioned poetry, but choicely good.' Sir 
 Hugh Evans, in his ' trempling of mind,' misquotes the lines, introducing a passage from 
 the old version of the 137th Psalm, 
 
 ' When as I sat in Pabylon.' " 
 
 We also learn from Mr. Knight, that " Come hve with me," which 
 is the " smooth song " Isaac Walton means, 
 
 " is to be found in the edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets, printed by Jaggard in 1599 ; but 
 is given to, Marlowe in 'England's Helicon,' 1600." 
 
Il8 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 Note 7 (page 53). " Fye on sinful fantasy!" \_Merry Wives of 
 Windsor7\ 
 
 Apropos of the thirty Hnes of poetry assigned to Mrs. Quickly, of 
 which the two lines preceding the song " Fye on sinful fantasy " are a 
 part, it appears to me that the Reverend Mr. Harness has made an 
 excellent suggestion. Mr. Harness considers that this poetry should 
 be assigned to the Fairy Queen (Anne Page), and not to Mrs. Quickly ! 
 The Reverend gentleman observes that while it seems highly impro- 
 bable that these thirty lines of poetry should have been intended for 
 Mrs. Quickly, they would have served to increase the very little given 
 to Anne Page, by whom the Fairy Queen was personated. 
 
 Note 8 (page 57). " I know a bank," &c. [Midsummer Nighfs 
 Dream.^ 
 
 The great and deserved popularity of Mr. Horn's duet com- 
 mencing with these words would alone justify a brief note as to certain 
 various readings in Oberon's speech. In Mr. Horn's duet Steevens's 
 reading of the first line is adopted, giving us whereon instead of where, 
 
 " I know a bank whereon the wild thymcblows.'' 
 
 Upon this reading -Mr. 'Knight has a few words. After affirming that 
 " all the old copies " have simply where, he proceeds thus : — 
 
 " Steevens, who hated variety in rhythm . . . gives us, 
 
 ' I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows.' " 
 
 Then we have a note respecting one of the hnes in Oberon's speech, 
 which is omitted by Mr. Horn in his duet. It is this one : — 
 
 " Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine." 
 
NOTES. 119 
 
 Concerning this line Mr. Knight writes thus : — 
 
 " For the same love of counting syllables upon the fingers, the luscious woodbine of 
 the old copies is changed into lush woodbine. Farmer, who knew as little about the 
 melody of verse as Steevens, would read, 
 
 ' O'er canopied with luscious woodbine.' " 
 
 Singular, certainly, we may indeed say, have been the notions of 
 some Shakespearian editors ! 
 
 Note 9 (page 59). Bottom's Song. {Midsuinmei- Night's Dreavi.\ 
 
 Mr. Knight has no doubt that by ^' The woosel-cock " is meant 
 the blackbird. He observes upon this subject that 
 
 " Although Bottom has here described the blackbird with zoological precision, there 
 are some commentators hardy enough to deny his scientific pretensions, maintaining that 
 the ' woosel ' or ' ousel ' is something else. It is sufficient for us to show that this name 
 expressed the blackbird in Shakespeare's day.'' 
 
 A quotation is then given by Mr. Knight from Drayton's Poly- 
 Qlbion in support of this view. It is pleasant to find our old friend 
 " Bottom, the Weaver," so well acquainted with another old friend, 
 such as the black-bird. 
 
 Note 10 (page 88). " If music be the food of love." [Twelfth Night?^' 
 
 It will be perceived that in giving this famous speech Mr. Knight's 
 
 I I 
 
120 SHAKESPEARE MUSIC. 
 
 reading of sound for south has not been adopted. Mr. Knight observes 
 
 that 
 
 " To those who are familiar with the well-known text, 
 
 ' O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south,' 
 
 the restoration of the word sound, which is the reading of all the early editions, will at 
 first appear strange and startling. The change from sound to south was made by Pope.'' 
 
 He then proceeds to state his view that if in the passage 
 
 of the text we read south instead of sound, the conclusion of the 
 
 sentence, 
 
 " Stealing and giving odour,'' 
 
 rests upon the mind, and the comparison becomes an indirect one 
 between the harmony of the " dying fall " and the odour of the breeze 
 that had passed over a bank of violets. This, Mr. Knight thinks, was 
 not what Shakespeare meant, but that he desired to compare one sound 
 with another sound. 
 
 In justice to this able commentator, whose opinion I so highly 
 value, I have stated his view of the matter without any desire to 
 contend in defence of my own. This much, however, I may be allowed 
 to observe. I cannot help believing that Pope's conjecture was not 
 only a happy, but, in all probability, a correct one. Perhaps too I am 
 influenced by old association. Nor do I see, necessarily, why Shake- 
 speare may not have compared a sound and an odour. We can apply 
 the word sweet, which seems especially to belong to the sense of taste, 
 to objects of the other senses, as a sweet sound, a sweet scent, or a 
 sweet sight ; nor does there seem to be any limits to the power of 
 making, what Mr. Knight aptly calls, an indirect comparison. 
 
 Note II (page loi). "When daffodils begin to peer." 
 
 As the fourth line of this song may present a difficulty to the 
 singer who wishes thoroughly to understand what he is performing, a 
 
NOTES. 121 
 
 note is devoted to it. Mr. Knight gives us the view of Dr. Farmer, 
 and evidently considers that view the correct one, as I think others 
 would also do. The Hne is, 
 
 " For the red blood reigns in the winter's pale," 
 
 which Dr. Farmer explains thus : — " The red, the spring blood, now 
 reigns o'er the parts lately unc^er the dominion of winter y Mr. Knight 
 himself then quotes Perdita's observation that " Daffodils come before 
 the swallow dares." The spring, Mr. Knight continues, which Autolycus 
 describes, is the early spring, when winter still holds a partial reign, 
 and the pale, that is, the boundary which divides it from spring, is not 
 yet broken up. 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 Page 20. For " chalic'd towers " read " chzlic'd flowers." 
 
INDEX. 
 
 N.B.-r-In order that it may be seen at a glance how many musical compositions are 
 connected, with the works of Shakespeare, I append this Index with the number inserted 
 after each song or portion of poetry. Any various arrangement or alteration of a given 
 piece of music is included in the total. 
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL ... 
 
 Was this fair face the cause, quoth she ? 
 
 {One). 
 
 PAGE 
 I 
 
 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA 
 
 Come, thou monarch of the vine 
 
 (Seven), 
 
 AS YOU LIKE IT 
 
 Under the greenwood tree 
 
 Blow, blow thou winter wind 
 
 What shall he have that kill'd the deer 
 
 It was a lover and his lass 
 
 Hymen's song 
 
 Wedding is great Juno's crown 
 
 (Six). 
 
 (Nine). 
 
 (Eight). 
 
 (Six). 
 
 (Two). 
 
 (Two). 
 
 COMEDY OF ERRORS 
 Dromio's' Song 
 
 (One). 
 
 19 
 
 K K 
 
INDEX. 
 
 CYMBELINE 
 
 Hark! hark! the lark at Heaven's gate sings {Five). 
 
 The Dirge in Cymbeline ■ {Five). 
 
 PAGE 
 
 20 
 
 HAMLET ... 
 
 Doubt thou the stars are fire 
 Why, let the strucken deer go weep 
 Snatches of song for Ophelia 
 Snatch of song for the Gravedigger 
 
 {Twelve). 
 {One). 
 {Five). 
 {One). 
 
 23 
 
 KING HENRY THE FOURTH 
 
 Snatch of song for " Silence,'' with chorus 
 
 {One). 
 
 28 
 
 KING HENRY THE EIGHTH 
 Orpheus, with his lute 
 
 {Sixteen). 
 
 28 
 
 KING LEAR 
 
 Snatches of song for the Fool 
 
 St. Withold footed thrice the wold 
 
 {Six). 
 {One). 
 
 31 
 
 LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST ... 
 
 If love make me forsworn ( Two) . 
 
 On a day (alack the day !) {Nine). 
 
 A lover's eyes ( Two)'. 
 
 Songs for "Spring" and "Winter" in the pageant {Six). 
 
 33 
 
 MACBETH . 
 
 When shall we three meet again 
 
 Round about the caldron go 
 
 Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites 
 
 {Two). 
 {One). 
 {One). 
 
 40 
 
 MEASURE FOR MEASURE ... 
 
 Take, oh take those lips away 
 
 {Seventeen). 
 
 42 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Ill 
 
 MERCHANT OF VENICE ... 
 
 All that glitters is not gold 
 
 Tell me where is fancy bred 
 
 How sweet the moonlight sleeps 
 
 For do but note a wild and wanton herd 
 
 {One). 
 {Five). 
 {Six). 
 {One). 
 
 45 
 
 MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR 
 
 Love like a shadow flies {Two). 
 
 Snatches of song for Sir Hugh Evans, from 
 
 ."Come live with me" {Sixteen). 
 
 Fairies' song and chorus {One). 
 
 50 
 
 MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM 
 
 By the simplicity of Venus' doves 
 
 The Loadstars 
 
 Before the time I did Lysander see 
 
 Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind 
 
 Over hill, over dale 
 
 Love-in-idleness , 
 
 I know a bank 
 
 You spotted snakes 
 
 The Blackbird song for " Bottom " 
 
 Flower of this purple dye 
 
 But we are spirits of another sort 
 
 Up and down, up and down 
 
 Play of " Pyramus and "Thisbe " 
 
 Now the hungry lion roars ; and 
 
 Now until the break of day 
 
 53 
 
 } 
 
 {One). 
 
 {Four) . 
 
 {One). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {Four). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {Two). 
 
 {Four). 
 
 {Two). ' 
 
 {One). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {Three). 
 
 {Six). 
 
 {Eight). 
 
 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ... 
 Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more 
 Snatch of song for Benedick 
 Done to death by slanderous tongues 
 Pardon, Goddess of the night 
 
 {Seven)'. 
 {One). 
 {One). 
 {Three). 
 
 66 
 
IV 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 OTHELLO 
 
 Snatches of song for lago 
 The Willow Song- 
 
 {Threi). 
 {Six). 
 
 PAGE 
 69 
 
 ROMEO AND JULIET ' 
 
 From the " Masquerade scene ' (One). 
 
 From the " Garden scene " (Three). 
 
 Wilt thou be gone, it is not yet near day (Two). 
 
 70 
 
 TAMING OF THE SHREW . 
 
 Wilt thou have music. 
 Say, that she rail 
 
 (One). 
 (One). 
 
 72 
 
 TEMPEST ... 
 
 74 
 
 Now I flam'd amazement - (One). 
 
 Come unto these yellow sands (Four). 
 
 Full fathpm five (Four). 
 
 Ariel's warning (Two). 
 
 Snatches of song for Stephano (Two). 
 
 Caliban's song ( Two) . 
 
 Catch for Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban (One). 
 
 Before you can say, Come and Go (Two). 
 
 Honour, riches, marriage blessing (Four). 
 
 You sunburn'd sicklemen (One). 
 
 The cloud-capp'd towers ( One) . 
 
 Where the bee sucks (Eight). 
 
 TWELFTH NIGHT... 
 
 If music be the food of love (Six). 
 
 Make me a willow cabin at your gate (One). 
 
 O mistress mine, where are you roaming (Seven). 
 
 Snatches of song for Sir Toby and the Clown (Five). 
 
 Come away, come away, Death (Six). 
 
 She never told her love (Four). 
 
 ■ Cesario, by the roses of the spring (One). 
 
INDEX. 
 
 TWELFTH NIGHT— conimued. 
 
 Snatclies of song for the Clown 
 The Epilogue Song 
 
 TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA ... 
 
 O, how this spring of love resembleth 
 Hinder not my course 
 Who is Silvia, what is she ? 
 
 WINTER'S TALE ,.. 
 
 When daffodils begin to peer 
 But shall I go mourn for that 
 Jog on, jog on, the foot-path way 
 Lawn as white as d'riven snow 
 Get you hence, for I must go 
 Will you buy any tape ? 
 
 (^Two). 
 {Two). 
 
 (One). 
 {One). 
 {Eleven). 
 
 (One). 
 
 {Two). 
 
 {Four). 
 
 {Four). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {Three). 
 
 97 
 
 SONNETS 
 
 105 
 
 VII. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 XXIX, 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 XL. 
 
 LIV. 
 
 LXIV. 
 
 LXXIII. 
 
 LXXXVII. 
 
 XCVII. 
 
 CIX. 
 
 CXVI. 
 
 CXXIII. 
 CXLVIII. 
 
 Lo, in the orient, when the gracious light 
 Shall I compare thee to a summer's day .'' 
 When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes 
 Full many a glorious morning have I seen 
 Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all 
 O how much more doth beauty beauteous seem 
 When I have seen by Time's fell hand defac'd 
 That time of year thou may'st in me behold 
 Farewell, thou art, too dear for my possessing 
 How like a winter hath my absence been 
 O never say that I was false of heart 
 Let me not to the marriage of true minds, 
 
 admit impediments 
 No ! Time, thou shalt not boast that I do change 
 O me ! what eyes hath love put in my head 
 
 } 
 
 {One). 
 
 { Three) . 
 
 {One). 
 
 { Two) . 
 
 { Two) . 
 
 {Two). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {One). , 
 
 {One). 
 
 {Two). 
 
 {One). 
 
 {One). 
 {One). 
 
 THE PASSIONATE PILGRIM 
 
 V. Fair is my love, but not so fair as fickle 
 VI. If music and sweet poetry agree. 
 
 {Two). 
 {One). 
 
 108 
 
 L L 
 
VI 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 THE PASSIONATE VILGRIM— continued. 
 
 VIII. Sweet rose, fair flower, untimely pluck'd, soon vaded (Two). 
 
 X. Crabbed age and youth (Five). 
 
 XIV. It was a lordling's daughter (Three). 
 
 XVI. My flocks feed not (One). 
 
 XVI. In black mourn I (One). 
 
 XVI. Clear wells spring not (One). 
 
 XIX. As it fell upon a day (Three). 
 
 VENUS AND ADONIS 
 
 ist Verse. Even as the sun, with purple-coloured face (Two). 
 
 25th Verse. Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear (One). 
 
 34th Verse. Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel (One). 
 130th Verse. If love have lent you twenty thousand tongues (Two). 
 
 143rd Verse. Lo ! here the gentle lark, weary of rest (One). 
 
 183rd Verse: To see his face the lion walk'd along (One). 
 
 no 
 
•nl!''\:'^. v!^ >%' 
 
 ■t^^im^sM^MittMmm^KUm^mitmt. ■ - ^^^wffitfflri«^BB^H^ai^^ft^^p6fl«^agBBBa-^.