Letter from Anna Seward to Tho. Swift, Esq., 5 June 1788

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

135

text excerpt

I often regret that Milton and Handel were not contemporaries; that the former knew not the delight of hearing his own poetry heightened as Handel has heightened it. To produce the united effects resulting from the combination of perfect poetry with perfect music, it was necessary that Milton’s strains should be set by Handel and sung by Saville. Of all our public singers, while many are masterly, many elegant, many astonishing, he only is sublime. A superiority given by his enthusiastic perception of poetic, as well as of harmonic, beauty. I should observe, that the Rev. Mr Benjamin Mence, once of St Paul’s and the King’s Chapel, was equally great in his expression of solemn music; but from the harmonic world that sun has long withdrawn its beams. From Mr Mence Mr Saville first caught his energies, or rather, by his example, obtained courage to express them. Mr Harrison has great correctness and delicacy, and some pathos; but he has no energy, and without energy Handel can have no justice from his performer.

excerpt from 'Letter from Anna Seward to Tho. Swift, Esq., 5 June 1788' pp. 135 (179 words)

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