Dr. Christopher Witt, referred to before,[103] was a capable player on the virginal,[104] which at his death was appraised at £1, 15_s._;[105] while a virginal belonging to the “Hermits” reverted to the widow of Magister Zimmerman.[106] The people who owned instruments of this kind had an opportunity to learn to play, since in 1730 a woman--the first music teacher in Philadelphia--makes an announcement in the newspaper as follows: [Thomas Ball’s] “Wife teaches Writing and French. Likewise Singing, Playing on the Spinet, Dancing and all sorts of Needle-Work are taught by his Sister lately arrived from London.”[107] What class of music she and her pupils played, it would be hard to say, but it did not cause anyone to start a music store, and it is not until 1739 that any great musical works are advertised at the office of the man of many parts, Benjamin Franklin. The following pieces were to be obtained there: “Corelli’s Sonatas, Geminiani’s Concertos, Ditto’s Solos.”[108] Besides spinets and virginals there were probably violins, German flutes, trumpets, drums, a few viols, etc. For instance, in 1749 Anthony Lamb, of New York, advertises among other things: “German Flutes,”[109] while other men advertise, in 1750, “Hunting Pipes,”[110] and “fiddle strings.”[111] From 1744 on numerous advertisements of drums appear. Before 1740 there is no record of any kind of musical organization, but in this year there was such a society. During this year the evangelist, Whitefield, visited Philadelphia and made a strong impression upon people of all beliefs. One of his disciples caused this to be printed: “Since Mr. Whitefield’s Preaching here, the Dancing school, Assembly, and Concert Room have been shut up, as inconsistent with the Doctrine of the Gospel: and though the Gentlemen concern’d caus’d the Door to be broke open again, we are inform’d that no Company came to the last Assembly night.”[112] One of the members, however, denied the charge that dances were inconsistent with the doctrine of the gospel, and affirmed that the hall was closed up by William Seward, an “Attendant and intimate Companion” of Whitefield. This same writer speaks of “Members of the Concert” and the rooms belonging to them. He also says that the members “met the Night after according to Custom; and the Thursday following the Company met to Dance as they used to do; but the Assembly being only for the Winter Season is now discontinued of Course and the Concert being for the whole Year still goes on as usual.”[113] This is interesting, as it is the first record of concerts, and also, because these _concerts_, continued the _whole_ year, not merely during the winter months as nowadays. There were “Members of the Concert,” too, who rented or owned rooms. There must then have been some kind of a club or society, which gave these performances.