But not, however, against the successful rival, Mr. Parsons, afterwards
Sir William, was this displeasure directed: he was wholly blameless,
not only in this superseding promotion, but in the tenor of his life at
large. He might even be uninformed of Dr. Burney’s prior claims. And
such, in fact, was Dr. Burney’s belief.
The ensuing paragraph, which appears to have been written in Italy,
and is copied from a manuscript memorandum book of Dr. Burney’s, will
demonstrate the early and liberal kindness of the Doctor towards Mr.
Parsons.
“RINALDO DI CAPUA,
“An old and excellent composer, now out of fashion, with
whom I was made acquainted by Mr. Morrison, has very
singular notions about all invention being at an end in
music; asserting that composers only repeat themselves
and each other. And that, as to modulation, it is only
in the second part of songs (a da capo) that it is
attempted, merely to frighten the hearer back to the
first. It seems, he adds, as if these second parts were
made by the valet-de-chambre of the Maestro di Capella.
I recommended him to Mr. Parsons, who consulted me about
a master at Rome, after he had been at a conservatoriò
at Naples, where he learned, he said, nothing. Rinaldo,
an admirable as well as fanciful musician, but deemed
to be _passé_, could afford to give him more time than
if in full employment; and for but little money. Mr.
Parsons solicited me, likewise, to prevail on Santarelli
to favour him with a few lessons in singing; which, at
my request, he did, without fee or reward; for he had
long ceased teaching _da professore_, except his charming
_Eléve_, La Signorina Battoni.”
The Doctor, it is true, could not then foresee the personal competition
he was accelerating; but neither his equity nor his generosity were
warped by the after discovery: all of injustice, if any there were in
the nomination, hung upon the patron, not the candidate.