"The following Song and Chorus, 'Come, if you dare, our Trumpets sound,' is in Purcell tolerable; but so very short of that Intrepity and Spirited defiance pointed at by Dryden's words and sentiments, that, I think, you have only to hear what I have compos'd on the occasion, to make you immediately reject the other. The Air 'Let not a Moon-born Elf mislead you,' is, after the two first bars of Purcell, very bad, and out of Mr. Champnes' compass of voice.--Hear mine. All the other Solo Songs of Purcell are infamously bad; so very bad, that they are privately the objects of sneer and ridicule to the musicians, but, I have not meddled with any, that are not to come from the mouths of your principal Performers. I wish you wou'd only give me leave to _Doctor_ this performance, I would certainly make it pleasing to the Public, which otherwise, may prove an obstruction to the success of the Revival. It is not _now_ my intention to new set many things, mention'd in our original plan; but to put it in the power of your principal performers to make a proper figure, by opening and adorning the most entertaining points of view, wherein _they_ are to appear; consequently, the expence will be much short of the Sume propos'd; all self-interest subsiding to the earnest desire I shall ever entertain, of proving my sincerity, when I stile myself SIR Your devoted humble serv^{t}. THO^{S.} AUG^{NE.} ARNE." [Illustration: Manuscript of last page of letter]