Lester was a man of a very superior mind, wrote excellent letters, and was a poet as well as musician. At Christmas-time he always furnished a copy of verses which were performed in the church. I remember one of these carols was set to music by Webbe, the celebrated glee-composer; my father set another, and, for a variety, at Lester’s request, one was composed for a full orchestra by myself. On the Monday the voices and instruments took a circuit round the town, and performed the carol at the principal houses, where they were not only regaled with good Christmas cheer, but presented with contributions towards maintaining the choir. These performances were so respectable, that as a treble boy, in the year 1782, I was invited to assist, and sang the song out of the Messiah, 'But thou didst not leave his soul in hell,’ accompanied on the violin by a stranger of the name of Young. I was charmed by the tone of his instrument, and particularly when he sounded the third string in union with the open second, the piece being in the key of A. In addition to the church performances, these musicians of the forest were in the habit of singing the best of our English glees, with a taste and expression rarely equalled in a country village. << less