THE

MONTHLY VISITOR.

NOVEMBER, 1801.

SKETCH

OF THE MEMOIRS OF

MRS. BILLINGTON.

Enriched with a capital Portrait, taken from Life.

ROM a man, infamous for his depredations on

Fociety, and whose character we gave in the

last Number of our Miscellany, we now turn with pleasure, to an individual whose talents are devoted to the entertainment of mankind. Such persons possess that share of popularity which renders the particulars of their life a just object of curiosity.

The lady, whose Memoirs we are about to lay before our readers, is of foreign extraction. Her father is a German, of the name of WEICHSELL, well known in the musical world. At what time he came to England, and whether he be still living, are matters which we have not ascertained. The Germans have been always distinguished for their ingenuity. In the polite arts they have of late greatly excelled, particularly in the science of music; here we have only to mention the name of HANDEL, which will be conveyed down with ap. plause to latest posterity!

Miss WEICHSELL is a native of the British metropolis, and made her first appearance upon our Vol. 15, No. 59.

planet 1769. In the early stages of infancy she disclosed an admirable genius for music, which she has cultivated with unremitting application. At seven years of age wonders are told of her progress in this delightful art-and in the eleventh year of her age she manifested powers of harmony nearly approaching to perfection. Masters of every kind were provided for her, at a prodigious expence, and no labour spared to bring her talents to maturity. After such exertions in behalf of genius, we are led to form sanguine expectations. Nor shall we be disappointed. The soil being good, every seed cast into it shall spring up into a plentiful harvest. So much encouragement begets exertion, and exertion, properly directed, will in the end secure to itself an adequate degree of compensation.

Miss WEICHSELL married a Mr. BILLINGTON, who had been her musical tutor; though this connection took place in direct opposition to the advice of her parents. They had opened to themselves prospects in the world highly flattering, froin the attainments of their daughter; these visionary an ticipations however, were at once consigned to oblivion.

Immediately on their marriage Mr. and Mrs. BILLINGTON set out for Ireland, and she soon got involved in theatrical engagements. Her powers were quickly ascertained. Her fame spread abroad with a rapidity which, in no small time, reached her native country.

But it was not till the year 1786, that she ap peared on the boards of Covent Garden theatre for the first time, and established her reputation. Their majesties had appointed Love in a Village, of course her musical taste was fully displayed: so great was the impression on the audience, that the house, which was very crouded, resounded with acclamations!

Paris now became the object of her curiosity, and thither she directed her steps the succeding year; where her taste must have been highly gratified. The singing of Sacchini had attracted her attention. She received his instructions; and he soon after quitted the stage of mortality.

Mrs. B. now returned to England, and performed repeatedly at Covent Garden theatre, with distinguished approbation. Her recent improvements must have made her a still greater favourite with the public; her merits, heightened by assiduous cultivation, met with an ample remuneration.

It is, however, the peculiar property of real genius never to be content with present attainments. The intellectual energies, unwearied in their pro▾ gress, are rapidly borne towards the goal of perfection. Such was the case of Mrs. BILLINGTON, who therefore turned her attention to Italy, the seat of the fine arts, where the human voice had always been the object of cultivation.

In the year 1794, accordingly, Mr. and Mrs. BILLINGTON set out for Italy, and during her absence abroad she ever kept in view her improvement. Milan, Leghorn, Padua, Genoa, Florence, and Naples, witnessed the display of her wonderful powers, and bestowed a most flattering portion of approbation. With such tokens of ap plause her sensibility must have been exquisitely gratified.

Naples, indeed, was the principal scene of her success and triumph. The polished taste and refined manners of the Neapolitans accorded with the delicate taste of the subject of our Memoirs. Here she attained to an amazing degree of popularity.

A circumstance, however, occurred during her stay at Naples, which must be mentioned, because it must have contributed in no small degree to her succèss. This was her introduction to court by Sir

Willliam Hamilton and his lady; who, naturally proud of having so celebrated a singer from their own country, shewed her every possible attention. The King and Queen of Naples, in consequence of this introduction, were liberal in their favoursand such a flattering distinction was the sure passport to an extensive popularity. The British nobility then resident at Naples, were not wanting also in their countenance of Mrs. B. Thus circumstanced, we cannot wonder at the attachment of our heroine to Italy. So great was the attachment, that having married a native of Lyons in the year 1797, she has since that period resided with him on an estate in the neighbourhood of Venice, delightful as to its situation and rural scenery.

Mrs. B. nevertheless, indulging a predilection for her native country, has visited England once more, and been most kindly received. At COVENT GARDEN THEATRE, on Saturday the 3d of Octo ber, did this lady make her appearance before a most crouded audience, by whom she was congratulated with the ardour of enthusiasm. In giving an account of her debut, and of her attainments in the Italian school, we despair of doing her justice, and shall, therefore, insert the following able criticisms, taken from a respectable print: the article will not fail to gratify the readers of our Miscellany; Oct. 5.

"Mrs. BILLINGTON, who has been so long the object of courtship by rival Managers, on Saturday night made her appearance before the English audience, after a study of seven years in the school of Italy. Every amateur of the art must rejoice on seeing the English stage thus strengthened and enriched, for music is the source of high and important influence both on the morals and the taste of a nation. Every people, however barbarous, feel its powers, and it is only the inconsiderate who say,

that it loses in force what it gains in science; or that it enervates in proportion as it polishes and softens the heart. If this same criticism upon science were to be admitted as just, we apprehend that the spirit of the doctrine must not be confined to music, but extended to all the series of the elegant arts. Nothing, however, is so false, as the supposition that science undermines the simplicity of natural taste, or deadens the sensibilities of the heart. We are subject, indeed, in the progress of every art, to the capricious fooleries of the inventive talent, and it too frequently happens that the love of novelty cherishes an extravagant style, by which, like the sated appetite of an epicure, a false taste is raised and gratified by niceties. It would be as unjust, however, to ascribe these errors to true science, as to brand any of the, cardinal virtues with the affectations of the hypocrite, or to renounce knowledge because it may be abused.

"In music every people has a style; and the consent of mankind has called that the most perfect which is the most simple. Thus the affinity ber tween the music of Scotland and that of Italy, or in other words, between the most simple and the most polished-is greater than between that of any other two nations. Italy has cultivated, and to a very great degree preserved its science untainted by any vicious errors. It is not, however, altogether, pure. The Germans have at length invaded the school, and a false extravagance has become too popular. The success of the Germans in the powers of instruments has led them to discover the human voice may also be made an instrument, and that its natural compass may be enlarged to an almost unlimited degree.-Without entering into any curious investigation of the natural organ, by which the pathetic sound, so superior to that of any arti ficial instrument, is propagated and sustained, we