Mr. Boyce, son of the great composer, was an eminent double-bass player in the Opera and King’s Concert; and, when he called upon me, I took him to see a giant double bass, made by a person of the name of Martin. The maker kept the public-house called the Blackamoor Lady, and the instrument was of such height, that he was obliged to cut a hole in the ceiling to let the head through ; so that it was tuned by going up stairs into the room above. Boyce, who was a tall, powerful man, on taking the bow in hand, which was of the same gigantic proportion, with one stroke of it so shook the premises, that I expressed my apprehension that the house would come down. “Let it!” cried Martin; for what alarmed me overjoyed him, to think such tones should come forth from the thing he had made. He looked upon Boyce in wild amazement; for with so much ease and sport did he treat the monster, that the carpenter thought I had brought him the devil in disguise. It was within the precincts of the castle of John of Gaunt that Boyce exhibited this instance of his strength, which is not yet forgotten, as the roarings of the monster, it is said, were heard as far as the castle mill. On returning to town, Boyce ordered a similar instrument to be made, but certainly not so large. This I saw him use in the Abbey performance, 1791, and it outroared all the other double basses. << less