effects, tho’ the performer want brilliancy of execution ever so much. One of the first circumstances I myself can recollect in my early years, was the great pleasure I took in hearing a blind boy play tunes on a bladder of air press’d between a bow-stick and its string. The Jew’s-harp next engaged my attention; and afterwards the bag-pipe and bassoon. Indeed I do remember having been told by my Grandmother, that whilst I was yet in coats, I took vast delight in pinching the tails of the Parson’s litter of pigs, and would listen to their various notes and tones from the _f_ sharp of the whine of the least of the family, quite down to the _b_ flat of the boar himself. This, with my attention to my coral and bells, and rattle, singing thro’ a comb and brown paper, together with the great expertness I afterwards shew’d in making whistles of reeds, and the recent bark of sycamore twigs, made the oldest people of the parish foretel, that I should one day or other become a great and celebrated Musician. My taste for the sister art of music, Poetry, was likewise, as I am inform’d, observed very early in my childhood; as I always held my mouth wide open, when the Psalm was sang at our Parish-Church; and soon was able to repeat without book a great part of _Sternhold_ and _Hopkins_’s excellent version of that great Dilettanti performer on the harp, King _David_’s pieces. Having been well inform’d that the infancy, and indeed the riper years of the great Mus. D. or musical Doctor (whom I call, _par excellence_, DR. MUS) passed in much the same manner, and with similar expectations from all the old ladies of his acquaintance; and having observed with what _eclat_, and indeed universal approbation of all people of taste, his ingenious account of his ingenious travels has been received, I conceived a design of following so illustrious an example, and travelling through the dominions of _England_, _Scotland_ and _Ireland_, with the town of _Berwick_ upon _Tweed_, to give a true state of the musical improvement and progression in these kingdoms; and hope I may flatter myself, that the Dr. himself will applaud my undertaking, and consider it as a proper supplement to his elaborate work.