Here he prepared his French and Italian musical tours for the press;
omitting all that was miscellaneous of observation or of anecdote, in
deference to the opinions of the Earl of Holdernesse, Mr. Mason, and
Mr. Garrick; who conjointly believed that books of general travels were
already so numerous, and so spread, that their merits were over-looked
from their multiplicity.
If such, at that distant period, was the numerical condemnation of
this species of writing, which circumscribed the first published tour
of Dr. Burney to its own professional subject, what would be now the
doom of the endless herd of tourists of all ranks, qualifications, or
deficiencies, who, in these later times, have sent forth their divers
effusions, without sparing an idea, a recollection, or scarcely a
dream, to work their way in the world, through that general master of
the ceremonies, the press? whose portals, though guarded by two _vis à
vis_ sentinels in eternal hostility with each other, Fame and Disgrace,
open equally to publicity.
Mr. Crisp, nevertheless, saw in a totally different light the
miscellaneous part of the French and Italian tours, and reprehended
its rejection with the high and spirited energy that always marked his
zeal, whether of censure or approbation, for whatever affected the
welfare of his favourites. But Dr. Burney, having first consulted these
celebrated critics, who lived in the immediate world, was too timid to
resist their representations of the taste of the moment; though in all
that belonged not to the modesty of apprehended partiality, he had the
firmest persuasion that the judgment of Mr. Crisp was unrivalled.
The work was entitled:
THE PRESENT STATE OF MUSIC
IN FRANCE AND ITALY:
OR THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR THROUGH THOSE COUNTRIES,
UNDERTAKEN TO COLLECT MATERIALS FOR A
GENERAL HISTORY OF MUSIC,
BY CHARLES BURNEY, MUS. D.
Il Canterono allor si dolcemonte
Che la dolcerra ancor destra mi suona.