A large and valuable collection of MS. and printed music was received,
at the beginning of this year or the close of the preceding, by the
bequest of Rev. Osborne Wight, M.A., formerly a Fellow of New College,
who died Feb. 6, 1800[271]. The MSS. number about 190 volumes. They
contain anthems, &c., by Arnold, Bishop, Blow, Boyce, Croft, Greene,
Purcell, &c; a large number of the works of Drs. Philip and William
Hayes; with very many madrigals and motetts by early Italian and English
composers, and some of Handel's compositions. The printed volumes
consist chiefly of the original folio editions of Handel, Arnold's and
Boyce's collections, and the works of Playford, Purcell, Croft, Greene,
and other English composers. A MS. Catalogue of the whole was made by
Rev. H. E. Havergal, M.A., about 1846, when the collection was put in
order. The Library also possesses full band and voice parts of several
of the odes and other compositions by both Philip and William Hayes.
Besides his books Mr. Wight also bequeathed £100 in the 3 per cents. 'to
defray expenses.' Few additions have been made in the class of old music
since his gift. Some rare sets of madrigals have been purchased,
specially, in 1856, those of Morley, Watson, Weelkes, Wilbye, and Yonge,
for £24 14_s._ 6_d._; Mr. Vincent Novello gave, in 1849, MSS. of
Handel's _Te Deum in D_, and Greene's anthem, 'Ponder my words,' and in
the following year a MS. of part of the ancient Gregorian Mass, 'De
Angelis,' harmonized by Sam. Wesley, in 1812; the Professor of Music,
Sir F. Ouseley, Bart., gave some French _Cantates_ in 1856; and two or
three volumes have been added by the present writer.
[271] A short memoir of this gentleman is given in _Gent. Magaz._ for
1800, p. 1212, where it is said that 'he was eminently skilled in the
practice and composition of music, and was probably excelled by no one,
whether _dilettante_ or professor, as a sightsman in vocal execution.'