Parochial Music Corrected

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

26-29

text excerpt

     As one Part of my Employment is to teach Charity-Children the Hymns, which they sing on the Days of their Collections, and as this Practice has been objected to by several Gentlemen; I shall endeavour to answer some of the most material Objections that have been made: viz. "That it makes them proud, and sets them above their Condition. That it makes them Songsters and fond of Company, consequently bad Apprentices and Servants."

     To the first Objection I answer, that there is nothing in this Kind of Instruction that may make them prouder than Children generally are, whose Genius is superior to their Schoolfellows, either in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, or any other Branch of Learning. And in this Particular their Capactiy is the principal Thing, for they are not taught to sing by the Rules of Music, as that would be a superfluous Qualification for those who are intended for laborious Trades and Services...

     To the Second, I answer; That as Nature has furnished some of them with good Ears and Voices, they are naturally inclined to imitate every thing they hear that is musical. I have observed Children in the Street, while Bells have been ringing, to hit the Sound of Every Bell, with the greatest Nicety imaginable; and others to imitate some of the most difficult Changes in a very surprising Manner. And such Children can no more help learning of Tunes which they hear played in the Streets on Fiddles, Cymbals, or Box-Organs, than they whose Talents are for Arithmetic can help learning farther than their Master chooses or has orders to teach them. But the greatest Misfortune is, they are apt to learn every Song they hear from the Ballad-Singers, with which our Streets at this time most shamefully abound. Their Subjects are generally profane of vicious, and naturally tend to the nourishing of Vice, and corrupting of Youth, though not so well understood by Children.... I have known several Children, who from their Infancy being fond of Music, have at length turned out Songsters, (as they are called) who were never taught to sing by Rule, nor brought up in Charity-Schools, consequently were never taught to sing Hymns by Ear.

     As for such of the Charity-Children as are taught Hymns, they are always those whom Nature has furnished with good Ears and tunable Voices, who, as aforesaid, learn every thing they hear.... As I have gone into some Schools, where Part of the Children have been employed in braiding of Nets, winding of Silk, or other industrious Employments, I have stood and listened on hearing them sing while at Work, and found, that they were not singing a Song but an Hymn....

     Among the many Advantages then, which these Children may possibly reap from their learning of Hymns, there is one which I cannot help mentioning, and which I can with the greatest Truth assert from my own Observation of near Twenty Years. That in Schools where this Practice has been most encouraged, there Psalmody has been always the best performed.

     This Custom then, however objected to by some, has been found of great Advantage to the charitable Collections; many People having been observed to weep while the Children have been singing, and in all Probability have been moved to contribute more than they at first intended.

excerpt from 'Parochial Music Corrected' pp. 26-29 (552 words)

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1675335339749