spoil the Air, they will allow that
Breach to be made, and this Allowance gives great Latitude to young
Composers, for they may always make that Plea, and say, if I am not
allowed to transgress the Rules of composition I shall certainly spoil
the Air, and cross the Strain that Fancy dictated. And indeed this is
without dispute, a very just Plea, for I am sure I have often and
sensibly felt the disagreeable and slavish Effect of such Restraint as
is here pointed out, and so I believe every Composer of Poetry as well
as Musick, for I presume there are strict Rules for Poetry, as for
Musick. But as I have often heard of a Poetical License I don't see why
with the same propriety there may not be a musical License, for Poetry
and Musick are in close Connection, and nearly allied besides they are
often assistants to each other, and like a true friend often hide each
other's feelings. For I have known a Piece of Poetry that hath neither
Rhime nor Reason in it, pass for tolerable good sense because it
happened to be set to an excellent Piece of Musick, and to get Respect
rather for its good Fortune in falling into such respectable company
than for any Merit in itself: so likewise I have known and heard a very
indifferent Tune often sung and much caress'd, only because it was set
to a fine Piece of Poetry, without this recommendation, perhaps it
would not be sung twice over by one Person, and would be deemed to be
dearly bought only at the expense of Breath requisite to perform it.

"For my own part, as I don't think myself confined to any Rules for
Composition laid down by any that went before me, neither should I
think (were I to pretend to lay down rules) that any who comes after me
were any ways obligated to adhere to them any further than they should
think proper; so in fact I think it is best for every composer to be
his own learner. Therefore upon this consideration, for me to dictate,
or pretend to prescribe Rules of this Nature for others, would not only
be very unnecessary but also a very great piece of Vanity."

His second work was the "Singing Master's Assistant," an abridgment and
revision of his first. His humor again crops out in the following extract
from its preface:--

"Kind reader, no doubt you remember that about ten years ago I
published a book entitled 'The New England Psalm-Singer;' and truly a
most masterly performance I then thought it to