here he prepared his french and italian musical tours for the press; omitting all that was miscellaneous of observation or of anecdote, in deference to the opinions of the earl of holdernesse, mr. mason, and mr. garrick; who conjointly believed that books of general travels were already so numerous, and so spread, that their merits were over-looked from their multiplicity.
if such, at that distant period, was the numerical condemnation of this species of writing, which circumscribed the first published tour of dr. burney to its own professional subject, what would be now the doom of the endless herd of tourists of all ranks, qualifications, or deficiencies, who, in these later times, have sent forth their divers effusions, without sparing an idea, a recollection, or scarcely a dream, to work their way in the world, through that general master of the ceremonies, the press? whose portals,
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though guarded by two vis à vis sentinels in eternal hostility with each other, fame and disgrace, open equally to publicity.
mr. crisp, nevertheless, saw in a totally different light the miscellaneous part of the french and italian tours, and reprehended its rejection with the high and spirited energy that always marked his zeal, whether of censure or approbation, for whatever affected the welfare of his favourites. but dr. burney, having first consulted these celebrated critics, who lived in the immediate world, was too timid to resist their representations of the taste of the moment; though in all that belonged not to the modesty of apprehended partiality, he had the firmest persuasion that the judgment of mr. crisp was unrivalled.
the work was entitled:
the present state of music
in france and italy:
or the journal of a tour through those countries,
undertaken to collect materials for a
general history of music,
by charles burney, mus. d.
il canterono allor si dolcemonte
che la dolcerra ancor destra mi suona.
dante.
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the motto was thus translated, though not printed, by dr. burney.
“they sung their strains in notes so sweet and clear
the sound still vibrates on my ravished ear.”
the reception of this first acknowledged call for public attention from dr. burney, was of the most encouraging description; for though no renown had yet been fastened upon his name, his acquirements and his character, wherever he had been known, had excited a general goodwill that prepared the way to kindly approbation for this, and indeed for every work that issued from his pen.
there was, in truth, something so spirited and uncommon, yet of so antique a cast, in the travels, or pilgrimage, that he had undertaken, in search of materials for the history of his art, that curiosity was awakened to the subject, and expectation was earnest for its execution: and it was no sooner published, than orders were received, by most of the great booksellers of the day, for its purchase; and no sooner read, than letters the most flattering, from the deepest theorists of the science, and the best judges of the practice of the art of music, reached the favoured author; who was of too modest a character to have been robbed of the pleasure of praise
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by presumptuous anticipation; and of too natural a one to lose any of its gratification by an apathetic suppression of its welcome. and the effect, impulsive and unsophisticated, of his success, was so ardent an encouragement to his purpose, that while, mentally, it animated his faculties to a yet more forcible pursuit of their decided object, it darted him, corporeally, into a travelling vehicle, which rapidly wheeled him back again to dover; where, with new spirit and eagerness, he set sail upon a similar musical tour in the low countries and in germany, to that which he had so lately accomplished in france and italy.
with respect to the french and italian tour, the restraint from all but its professional business, was much lamented by the friends to whom the sacrifice of the miscellaneous matter was communicated.
upon the german tour not a comment will be offered; it is before the public with an approvance that has been stamped by the sanction of time. at the period of its publication, dr. burney, somewhat assured, though incapable of being rendered arrogant by favour, ventured to listen only to the voice of his first friend and monitor, who exhorted him to mingle personal anecdotes with his musical information.
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the consequence was such as his sage adviser prognosticated; for both the applause and the sale of this second and more diffuse social diary, greatly surpassed those of its more technical predecessor.
nevertheless, the german tour, though thus successful for narration to the public, terminated for himself in sickness, fatigue, exorbitant expense, and poignant bodily suffering.
while yet far away from his country, and equally distant from accomplishing the purpose of his travels, his solicitude not to leave it incomplete, joined to his anxiety not to break his professional engagements, led him to over-work and over-hurry his mental powers, at the same time that he inflicted a similar harass upon his corporeal strength. and while thus doubly overwhelmed, he was assaulted, during his precipitated return, by the rudest fierceness of wintry elemental strife; through which, with bad accommodations, and innumerable accidents, he became a prey to the merciless pangs of the acutest spasmodic rheumatism; which barely suffered him to reach his home, ere, long and piteously, it confined him, a tortured prisoner, to his bed.
such was the check that almost instantly curbed, though it could not subdue, the rising pleasure of
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his hopes of entering upon a new species of existence, that of an approved man of letters; for it was on the bed of sickness, exchanging the light wines of france, italy, and germany, for the black and loathsome potions of the apothecaries’ hall; writhed by darting stitches, and burning with fiery fever; that he felt the full force of that sublunary equipoise, that seems evermore to hang suspended over the attainment of long-sought and uncommon felicity, just as it is ripening to burst forth into enjoyment!
again he retired to chesington, to his care-healing, heart-expanding, and head-informing mr. crisp: and there, under the auspices of all that could sooth or animate him; and nursed with incessant assiduity by his fondly-attached wife and daughters, he repaired his shattered frame; to fit it, once again, for the exercise of those talents and faculties, which illumine, in their expansive effects, the whole race of mankind; long after the apparent beings whence they have issued, seem faded, dissolved away; leaving not, visibly, a track behind.
in dr. burney, disease was no sooner conquered, than the vigour of his character brought back to him pleasure and activity, through the spirited
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wisdom with which he dismissed regret for anticipation.
there are few things in which his perfect good-humour was more playfully demonstrated, than by the looks, arch yet reproachful, and piteous though burlesque, with which he was wont to recount a most provoking and painful little incident that occurred to him in his last voyage home; but of which he was well aware that the relation must excite irresistible risibility in even the most friendly of his auditors.
after travelling by day and by night to expedite his return, over mountains, through marshes, by cross-roads; on horseback, on mules, in carriages of any and every sort that could but hurry him on, he reached calais in a december so dreadfully stormy, that not a vessel of any kind could set sail for england. repeatedly he secured his hammock, and went on board to take possession of it; but as repeatedly was driven back by fresh gales, during the space of nine fatiguing days and tempestuous nights. and when, at last, the passage was effected, so nearly annihilating had been his sufferings from sea-sickness, that it was vainly he was told he might now, at his pleasure, arise, go forth, and touch english
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ground; he had neither strength nor courage to move, and earnestly desired to be left awhile to himself.
exhaustion, then, with tranquillity of mind, cast him into a sound sleep.
from this repose, when, much refreshed, he awoke, he called to the man who was in waiting, to help him up, that he might get out of the ship.
“get out of the ship, sir?” repeated the man. “good lauk! you’ll be drowned!”
“drowned?—what’s to drown me? i want to go ashore.”
“ashore, sir?” again repeated the man; “why you’re in the middle of the sea! there ar’nt a bit of ground for your toe nail.”
“what do you mean?” cried the doctor, starting up; “the sea? did you not tell me we were safe in at dover?”
“o lauk! that’s two good hours ago, sir! i could not get you up then, say what i would. you fell downright asleep, like a top. and so i told them. but that’s all one. you may go, or you may stay, as you like; but them pilots never stops for nobody.”
filled with alarm, the doctor now rushed up to the deck, where he had the dismay to discover that he was half-way back to france.
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and he was forced to land again at calais; where again, with the next mail, and a repetition of his sea-sickness, he re-embarked for dover.
on quitting chesington, upon his recovery, for re-entering his house in queen-square, the doctor compelled himself to abstain from his pen, his papers, his new acquisitions in musical lore, and all that demanded study for the subject that nearly engrossed his thoughts, in order to consecrate the whole of his time to his family and his affairs.
he renewed, therefore, his wonted diurnal course, as if he had never diverged from it; and attended his young pupils as if he had neither ability nor taste for any superior occupation: and he neither rested his body, nor liberated his ideas, till he had re-instated himself in the professional mode of life, upon which his substantial prosperity, and that of his house, depended.
but, this accomplished, his innate propensities sprang again into play, urging him to snatch at every instant he could purloin, without essential mischief from these sage regulations; with a redundance of vivacity for new movement, new action, and elastic
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procedure, scarcely conceivable to those who, balancing their projects, their wishes, and their intentions, by the opposing weights of time, of hazard, and of trouble, undertake only what is obviously to their advantage, or indisputably their duty. his fancy was his dictator; his spirit was his spur; and whatever the first started, the second pursued to the goal.
