LETTER VI.

THE aria di mezzo carattere comes next to be considered. The sub|jects proper for this kind of air are many, and very different, its particu|lar character being neither the pathetic, the grand, nor the passionate, but the pleasing. There may be an almost in|finite variety of sentiments, very pretty Page  70 and very interesting, which are not, however, of sufficient importance to be made the subject either of the can|tabile or the portamento:—The aria di mezzo carattere comprehends all such.—From the great variety which this air, of consequence, embraces, as well as from the less emphatic nature of the sentiments to which it belongs, its ge|neral expression is not so determined as that of the former closses; yet, with respect to each individual air, the ex|pression is far from being vague or dubious, and though some greater la|titude be here granted to the fancy of the composer, nothing is given to his caprice, the sense itself of the words clearly ascertaining, in point both of Page  71 degree and quality, the expression. The degree ought to be in exact pro|portion to the placidity or warmth of the sentiment, and its particular cast ought to be regulated by the nature of that passion to which the sentiment is naturally allied; for sentiments are but gentler degrees of passion. Thus, this class of airs, whilst it retains its own particular character, may, by turns, have some affinity with almost all the other classes; but, whilst its latitude is great in respect of variety, its limita|tions, with regard to degree, are ob|vious;—it may be soothing, but not sad;—it may be pleasing, but not ele|vated;—it may be lively, but not gay. The motion of this air is, by the Ita|lians, Page  72 termed andante, which is the exact medium of musical time between its extremes of slow and quick. As the vocal part is never supposed here to be so beautiful and interesting as in the higher classes, the orchestra, tho' it ought never to cover the voice, is not, however, kept in such subordina|tion to it;—it is not only allowed to play louder, but may be more fre|quently introduced by itself, and may, on the whole, contribute more to the general effect of the air.

This kind of song is admirably well calculated to give repose and relief to the mind, from the great degree of at|tention and (with respect to myself, at Page  73 least, I might say) agitation excited by the higher and more pathetic parts of the piece:—They possess the true character which belongs to the subordinate parts of a beautiful whole, as affording a repose, not the effect of a total want of interest, but of an interest which they call forth of a different and more placid kind, which the mind can attend to with more ease, and can enjoy without being exhausted. I could wish it were in my power to give here three or four examples of this air, the more clearly to evince to your Lordship that this air, whilst it retains perfectly its own peculiar character, may sometimes approach, in its expression, the canta|bile, sometimes the portamento, and Page  74 sometimes the parlante,—but having but one volume of Metastasio by me, I cannot make that selection of exam|ples which I could wish. The follow|ing is from the sacred composition of the death of Abel; and, as your Lord|ship will observe, partakes of the na|ture of the cantabile.—Abel speaks: