The Great Musicians   Edited by Francis Hueffer PURCELL By WILLIAM H. CUMMINGS LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET 1881 [ All Rights Reserved ] London: R. Clay, Sons, and Taylor . BREAD STREET HILL. PREFACE. PURCELL. PURCELL'S FAMILY. ORGANISTS OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY. CHRONOLOGICAL MEMORANDA. INDEX. FOOTNOTES....

The attempt to write a Life of Henry Purcell has been beset with many difficulties. So much information which might have been preserved for the instruction of after times has been lost, either through the indifference or culpable neglect of those who had it in their power to have placed on record details which would have been interesting. Sir John Hawkins and Dr. Burney are particularly open to censure on this head. They possessed many opportunities for gaining authentic knowledge of facts and c

Music and poetry attained to a high state of cultivation in the reign of Elizabeth; the Queen herself was an admirable performer on the virginals, and by her example and authority did all that was possible to elevate the art of music, and to encourage learned musicians throughout her dominions. This happy condition of things was continued by her successors, James I. and Charles I., but with the establishment of the Commonwealth all music, both of church and theatre, was rigidly suppressed. We re