turn. Encouraged by his rapid attainments, his parents sent him to the University of Salamanca, where he applied himself assiduously and with astonishing success to the study of the Greek language, philosophy and the arts. After leaving the university, his genius recommended him to the favorable notice of Archbishop Compostella, afterward made cardinal, whom Salinas accompanied to Rome, where he spent thirty years in studying the works of Boetias and the writings of the ancient Greek harmonicians. He afterward returned to Spain, where he was invited to the professorship of music in his own university, on a liberal salary. He died in 1590, at the advanced age of seventy-seven, leaving behind him many excellent musical compositions, together with the valuable productions above alluded to. In the sixteenth century, when the tender influence of music seemed for a time to warm into action the nobler impulses of men's natures, and to cause springs of feeling to gush anew from hearts long calloused with vice and cruelty, flourished CASPAR CRUMBHORN, who was blind from the third year of his age. He composed several pieces of music in parts, and performed, with such superior taste and skill, on both the flute and violin, that he won the favor and patronage of Augustus, elector of Saxony. But, preferring his native Silesia to every other country, he returned thither, and was appointed organist of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, in the city of Lignitz, and likewise had the chief direction of the mu sical college in that place. He died there on the 11th of June, 1621. Cotemporaneous with Crumbhorn lived MARTIN PESENTI, a native of Venice, who was blind from birth. He was a distinguished composer, both of vocal and instrumental music. One of the more modern musicians, if not the first among the blind in point of talent, was JOHN STAN LEY, the celebrated English organist and composer. who was born in 1713, and lost his sight when but two years of age, from a fall on a marble hearth. In early youth his friends placed him under a musical master, but more from a desire to amuse him than a hope of his excelling in the art. But so rapid was his progress, that, at the age of eleven, he obtained the situation of organist at All-Hallows, and in 1726, at the age of thirteen, was elected organist of St. Andrew's, Holborn, in preference to a great number of candidates. In 1734 the Benchers of the Inner Temple elected him one of their organists; and the last two situations he retained until his death. Few professors have spent a more active life in every branch of their art than this extraordinary musician; who was not only a most neat, pleasing, and accurate performer, but an agreeable composer and successful teacher. Besides several voluntaries for the organ, he was the author of two oratorios-"Jeptha," written in 1757, and "Zimri," which was performed at Covent Garden, during the first season of Mr. Stanley's management of the oratorios there. He also composed the music to an ode, performed at Drury Lane, and set music to a dramatic pastoral, entitled Arcadia, or the Shepherd's Wedding," which was played at the same theater. After the death of the great master, Handel, (who was himself blind for several years before his decease,) Stanley, in conjunction with Smith, undertook the management of the oratorios during Lent, and after Mr. Smith retired, he carried them on in connection with Mr. Lindsley, till within two years of his death, which took place on the 19th of May, 1786. On the 27th, his remains were interred in the new burial-ground of St. Andrew's, and on the following Sunday, instead of the usual voluntary, a solemn dirge was performed, and, after service, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," was given with great effect upon that organ at which the deceased had for so many years presided. In proof of his masterly management of the organ, it is related by one of his biographers, that when at the performance of one of Handel's Te Deums, on finding the organ a semitone too sharp for the other instruments, Stanley, without the least premeditation, transposed the whole piece; "and this, with as much facility and address," adds the writer, "as any person could have done, possessed of sight." The ready transposition of harmony so intricate as the composition of Handel, alluded to, from the key of two sharps to that of seven, certainly proved Stanley to be a competent master of the instrument, and exhibited a degree of skill, power of concentration, and ce lerity of thought, truly surprising. Nor would it have been less wonderful had he possessed perfect sight; for what had sight at all to do with the matter? Music is addressed to the ear, and not to the eye; nor could two of the brightest eyes that ever prototyped crotchets and quavers have rendered him any material aid. True, the relative length, pitch, and power of musical sounds are all represented by signs or characters addressed to the eye, by which the most difficult composition may be read almost at a glance. But in the transposition of a piece committed to memory, the presence of these must tend rather to distract than to aid. One of the most brilliant and interesting perform ers in the concerts at Paris, during the season of 1784, was Mademoiselle PARADIS, of Vienna, who lost her sight in the third year of her age, from excessive fear. Her friends, it appears, had placed her, at a very tender age, under proficient instructors, and when but eleven years old, she was able to accompany herself on the organ in a "Stabat Mater," of which she sung a part at St. Augustin's church, in the presence of the empress queen, who was so touched with her per formance and interesting appearance, that she settled a pension on her for life. After completing her musical education, she, in company with her mother, visited the principal courts and cities of Germany, France, and England, where her talents never failed to engage the admiration of musicians, and the re spect and patronage of the royal families. DENNIS HAMPSON, the blind bard of Magilligan, also deserves a place in this series; but more, perhaps, on account of his abstemious habits and remarkable longevity than true musical taste. He was born in 1697, and died at the advanced age of one hundred and ten years. Hampson lost his sight from small-pox, at the age of three years, and spent most of his life as a traveling bard. He was present at the great meeting of harpers, at Belfast, and his pérformance was pronounced by the amateurs of Irish music, the best example of true bardic style. In later years, adverting to the occasion, he said, with an honest feeling of self-love, "When I played the old tunes, not another of the harpers would play after me." The following lines were carved on his time-nibbled harp: In the time of Noah I was green, After his flood I have not been seen Until seventeen hundred and two, I was found By Corman Kelly, under ground; He raised me up to that degree, Queen of music they call me. The following lines on Hampson's death, which appeared in the Belfast Magazine, in 1808, serve to show how fondly his memory was cherished in the hearts of his countrymen: The fame of the brave shall no longer be sounded, |