firmity render him incapable of writing or desiring to be written to ; but, on his authority, I pledge myself for the truth. Should this information prove in the least advantageous to yourself, it will afford the most sincere satisfaction and pleasure to,

"SIR,

." Your most obedient Servant,

“ Bath, June 13, 1795.”

"W. HARINGTON."

"P. S. My curiosity was often raised to enquire after the author before Mr. Smith related the above, and I was often misinformed. Mr. Smith says he understood your father intended this air as part of a birth-day ode, or somewhat of that kind; however this might be, no Laureat or composer has furnished the world with any production more complimentary or more popular, which must ever be the consequence of concise elegance and natural simplicity.

"This Mr. John Smith was friend and assistant to Mr. Handel many years.

* Schmidt, was born 1712, at Anspach, in Franconia, came to England with Handel, who was born February 24, 1686, at Halle, in Upper Saxony,

"Surely the foregoing letter wears the complexion of truth, and yet, either from envy or rigid scepticism, it has been held out by many as a matter of doubt, without one feasible authority or circumstantial argument that could render it so.

"Convinced of the infallibility of Dr. Harington's letter, I concluded on giving it a place here, referring the reader to the material and provident aid the song had often yielded to the King and state, in every critical situation; when lurking sedition had caused loud and dangerous murmurs to be daily heard in every house and every street, threatening defiance to the sword of Justice and her wise established laws, spurning at Majesty on his road to meet his mob-insulted senate, or annoying him in his public pleasures; yet, has the wavering subject been often called back to his original duty to his King, and the harsh and clamorous voice of anarchy lulled into a calm, by this divine, this popular, and national hymn."*

John Ward speaks of "God save the King" in his account of the Professors of Gresham College, published 1740, where he gives a catalogue of Dr. Pepusch's music as follows: No. XVIII, 2 vols. 4to,

* Extract from a work called the Balnea.

Vol. I. folio 56, "God save the King," which is all that is there mentioned of it. It has been thought to be a variation of that gentleman's, composed on the above tune, but the Editor has not been able, at present, to meet with it.

The following popular song was first sung at Cliffden, in a Masque called Alfred, before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, on the 1st of August, 1740; written by Mr. Thomson and Mr. Mallet, and set to music by Mr. Arne.

"Yet, e'er you go, in our lov'd country's praise,

"That noblest theme, hear what his rapture breathes."

AN ODE in the Masque of Alfred.
When Britain first, at Heaven's command,
Arose from out the azure main ;
This was the charter of the land,

And guardian angels sung this strain:
"Rule, Britannia! rule the waves ;
"Britons never will be slaves."

The nations not so blest as thee,

Must, in their turn, to tyrants fall:
While thou shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.

"Rule," &c.

b

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,

More dreadful from each foreign stroke ;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak,
"Rule," &c.

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame :
All their attempts to bend thee down
Will but arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown.
"Rule," &c.

To thee belongs the rural reign,

Thy cities shall with commerce shine :
All thine shall be the subject main,
And every shore it circles thine.
"Rule," &c.

The muses, still with freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coast repair:
Blest isle with matchless beauty crown'd,
And manly hearts to guard the fair.
"Rule, Britannia! rule the waves;
"Britons never will be slaves."

It may not be unacceptable to give, in this place, some account of the Glee-Club, which was first held at the Newcastle Coffee House, Castle-street, in the Strand, December 22, 1787. The following gentlemen formed the original institution:

ROBERT SMITH, Esq.

Dr. ARNOLD,
Dr. BEAVER,

Rev. JAMES HINCKES, T. S. DUPUIS, Esq. JOHN ROBERTS, Esq. JAMES HESELTINE, Esq. THEO. AYLWARD, Esq. CHARLES WRIGHT, Esq. THOMAS GREGORY, Esq. H. DESDIER, Esq.

LUFF. ATTERBURY, Esq.
THOMAS LINLEY, Esq.

Honorary Members.
Mr. S. WEBBE,
JOHN DYNE,

PAUL HOBLER,

J. W. CALLCOTT,
JOHN HINDLE,
JAMES Bartleman,
BARTLEMAN,

SAMUEL WEBBE, Jun.
SAMUEL HARRISON.

The Society removed to the Crown and Anchor in 1788, and continued there till 1790, then went to the Freemasons' Tavern, where they held their meetings till 1791, and afterwards returned to the Crown and Anchor, where they have continued to meet and dine together on alternate Saturdays. The subscribers, at present, are thirty in number, thirteen honorary, or musical members, and four perpetual visitors, and they meet ten times in the season; the meetings begin in December. The society originally met twelve times. The hour of dining is half-past four o'clock, and the members take their seats at the table according to seniority, except the professional gentlemen, who always take their places in the