t divine
Privilege of always pleasing were allowed him here below. Such a one
does not know the first Principle of musical Politicks; but Time will
teach it him. He, that sings little and well, sings very well.

Sec. 58. He will laugh at those who imagine to satisfy the Publick with the
Magnificence of their Habits, without reflecting, that Merit and
Ignorance are equally aggrandized by Pomp. The Singers, that have
nothing but the outward Appearance, pay that Debt to the Eyes, which
they owe to the Ears.

Sec. 59. He will nauseate the new-invented Stile of those who provoke the
innocent Notes with coarse Startings of the Voice. A disagreeable
Defect; however, being brought from[103] beyond the _Alps_, it passes
for a _modern_ Rarity.

Sec. 60. He will be astonished at this bewitched Age, in which so many are
paid so well for singing ill. The _Moderns_ would not be pleas'd to be
put in Mind, that, twenty Years ago, indifferent Singers had but mean
Parts allotted them, even in the second-rate Theatres; whereas at
present, those, who are taught like Parrots, heap up Treasures beyond
what the Singers of the first Degree then did.[104]

Sec. 61. He will condemn the Ignorance of the Men most, they being more
obliged to study than the Women.

Sec. 62. He will not bear with one who imitates the Women, even in
sacrificing the Time, in order to acquire the Title of _Modern_.

Sec. 63. He will marvel at that[105] Singer, who, having a good Knowledge
of Time, yet does not make use of it, for want of having apply'd himself
to the Study of Composition, or to accompany himself. His Mistake makes
him think that, to be eminent, it suffices to sing at Sight; and does
not perceive that the greatest Difficulty, and the whole Beauty of the
Profession consists in what he is ignorant of; he wants that Art which
teaches to anticipate the Time, knowing where to lose it again; and,
which is still more charming, to know how to lose it, in order to
recover it again; which are the Advantages of such as understand
Composition, and have the best Taste.

Sec. 64. He will be displeased at the Presumption of a Singer who gets the
Words of the most wanton _Airs_ of the Theatre rendered into _Latin_,
that he may sing them with Applause in the[106] Church; as if there
were no Manner of Difference between the Stile of the one and the other;
and, as if the Scraps of the Stage were fit to offer to the Deity.

Sec. 65. What will he not say of him who