during the wardership of John Huggins, Esq., and behaving himself quietly, was suddenly seized by James Barnes (agent for Huggins,) and without any reason given, was forced into the Strong Room, or Dungeon on the Master's side; which dungeon being then but lately built, and so damp that the drops hung upon the walls, was very nauseous and unwholesome. In this place was the unfortunate man locked up, and never once permitted to go out; But by an accident on a Sunday, the door being opened, he ran into the parlour adjoining to the _Chappell_, during the Time of Divine Service; he had no covering upon his Body, but the Feathers of a Bed (which Bed was thrown to him by a Prisoner,) into which he crept, to defend himself from the Cold, and the Feathers stuck and were clotted upon him, by his own Excrements, and the dirt which covered his skin. He was immediately seized and carried back into the said dungeon, where thro' cold and the Restraint, and, for want of food, he lost his senses, languished and perished. Notwithstanding the miserable condition of this man, and the applications were made to Mr. Huggins, the said Huggins had no compassion on him, but caused the door to be closed upon him."[3] The unhappy victim of tyrannic cruelty was buried in the precincts of St. Paul, Covent Garden, as is recorded in the church register, "23 of October, 1725, Edward Arne, from the Fleet Prison." The most reliable account of Arne's early years is to be found in Dr. Burney's "History of Music." Burney, when a youth, was sent to Chester to be educated in the Free School. In 1744 he was introduced to Mr. Arne, who was passing through the City on his journey from Ireland to London, "and this most popular of English vocal composers since the days of Purcell was so pleased with the talents of this nearly self-instructed performer, as to make an offer to Mr. Burney, senior, upon such conditions as are usual to such sort of patronage, to complete the education of this lively and aspiring young man; and to bring him forth to the world as his favourite and most promising pupil. To the proposal Mr. Burney, senior, was induced to consent; and at the age of seventeen, the eager young candidate for fame rapturously set off, in company with Dr. Arne, for the metropolis."[4] Arne was a man of pleasure, and seems to have done little to further the serious studies of his articled pupil; Burney's daughter said that the master constantly employed the pupil in copying music. It is therefore not surprising that the latter eagerly embraced an opportunity of emancipation from drudgery (which was afforded through the recommendation of Kirkman, the harpsichord maker), and accepted the appointment of performer and teacher to the fashionable Fulk Greville. The apprenticeship articles, however, presented a difficulty, and Greville called on Arne to inquire on what terms he would cancel the bond. "Arne at first would listen to no proposition, protesting that a