l music during the eighteenth
century is dull, and, so far as the pianoforte sonata is concerned, of
little or no importance. Nevertheless, a brief survey of that century
will be attempted, after which reference will be made to a few sonata
composers of the century now drawing to a close. Just as we referred
to the sonatas for strings and harpsichord before commencing the
history of the clavier-sonata proper, so here a few remarks will be
made concerning the sonata before Dr. T.A. Arne--the first composer,
so far as we can trace, who wrote a work of that kind for the
harpsichord alone.

In 1683 appeared Purcell's Twelve Sonatas for two violins and a bass,
the very same year in which Corelli published _his_ "Twelve Sonatas"
(Op. 1). In his preface, Purcell frankly admits that "he has
faithfully endeavoured a just imitation of the most famed Italian
masters." Sir J. Hawkins supposes that "the sonatas of Bassani,[108]
and perhaps of some other of the Italians, were the models after which
he formed them." In our introductory chapter we mentioned the sonatas
("a due, tre, quattro, e cinque stromenti") by Vitali (1677); and of
these, Mr. J.A. Fuller-Maitland, in his preface to the Purcell Society
edition of the "Twelve Sonatas" of 1683, remarks that "it is difficult
to resist the conclusion that these were the Englishman's models."
Vitali undoubtedly exerted strong influence; yet Purcell himself
describes his "Book of Sonatas" as "a just imitation of the most fam'd
Italian Masters." These sonatas of 1683, also the ten which appeared
after his death (among which is to be found No. 9, called the "Golden
Sonata") in 1697, are of great importance and interest in the history
of English music, but there is no new departure in them; this, at any
rate in the earlier ones of 1683, is fully acknowledged by the
composer.

In 1695, John Ravenscroft, a descendant, possibly, of Thomas
Ravenscroft, published at Rome, sonatas for "violini, e violine, o
arciliuto, col basso per l'organo" Opera prima, but they were mere
imitations of Corelli.[109] In 1728 a certain John Humphries published
by subscription "Twelve Sonatas for two violins and a bass"; and
Hawkins, in his _History_, excites curiosity by declaring that they
are "of a very original cast"; he adds, however, "in respect that they
are in a style somewhat above that of the common popular airs and
country dance tunes, the delight of the vulgar, and greatly beneath
what might be expec