ions appended to one of his anthems which was performed
in a concert:--

"We've met for a concert of modern invention;
To tickle the ear is our present intention;
The audience seated, expect to be treated
With a piece of the best.

"And since we all agree
To set the key on E,
The author's darling key
He prefers to the rest,
The bass take the lead,
And firmly proceed;
Let the tenor succeed," etc.

In 1770 his first compositions appeared in a work of one hundred and
eight pages entitled "The New England Psalm Singer; or American
Chorister. Containing a number of Psalm Tunes, Anthems, and Canons. In
four and five parts. (Never before published.) Composed by William
Billings, a native of Boston, in New England. Matt. xii. 16, 'Out of the
mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou perfected Praise;' James v. 13,
'Is any merry, let him sing Psalms.'

'O, praise the Lord with one consent,
And in this grand design
Let Britain and the Colonies
Unanimously join.'

Boston: New England. Printed by Edes and Gill."

In the preface to this work he quaintly says:--

"_To all Musical Practitioners._

"Perhaps it may be expected by some, that I could say something
concerning rules for composition; to these I answer that _Nature is the
best Dictator_, for all the hard dry studied rules that ever were
prescribed will not enable any person to form an Air any more than the
four and twenty letters, and strict Grammatical rules will qualify a
scholar for composing a piece of Poetry, or properly adjusting a
Tragedy without a Genius. It must be Nature; Nature must lay the
Foundation, Nature must give the Thought. But perhaps some may think I
mean and intend to throw Art entirely out of Question. I answer by no
Means, for the more Art is displayed, the more Art is decorated. And in
some sorts of composition there is dry Study requir'd, and Art very
requisite. For instance, in a Fuge. But even there Art is subservient
to Genius, for Fancy goes first, and strikes out the Work roughly, and
Art comes after and polishes it over. But to return to my Text: I have
read several Authors' Rules on Composition, and find the strictest of
them make some Exceptions, as thus, they say that two 8vos or two 5ths
may not be taken together rising or falling, unless one be Major and
the other Minor; but rather than