Valuable testimony to Purcell's high aims and laborious life is to be found in the MSS. written by Dr. Tudway for Edward, Lord Harley, and now deposited in the British Museum. Dr. Tudway was just two years older than Purcell, so that he entered the choir of the Chapel Royal first; he afterwards became a tenor singer in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and in 1670 organist of King's College, Cambridge, where he afterwards took successively the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor in Music, and eventually became Professor of the University. He was also appointed "composer extraordinary" to Queen Anne. Writing of Purcell, his fellow-student, he says:-- "I knew him perfectly well. He had a most commendable ambition of exceeding every one of his time, and he succeeded in it without contradiction, there being none in England, nor anywhere else that I know of, that could come in competition with him for compositions of all kinds. Towards the latter end of his life he was prevailed on to compose for the English stage. There was nothing that ever had appeared in England like the representations he made of all kinds, whether for pomp or solemnity, in his grand chorus, &c., or that exquisite piece called the freezing piece of musick; in representing a mad couple, or country swains making love, or indeed any other kind of musick whatever. But these are trifles in comparison of the solemn pieces he made for the Church, in which I will name but one, and that is his _Te Deum, &c._, with instruments, a composition for skill and invention beyond what was ever attempted in England before his time." Evidence respecting Purcell's personal virtues and gifts is to be found in an ode printed at the commencement of the second volume of _Orpheus Britannicus_, 1702. The poem is too long to quote entire, but the following extracts will suffice:-- "Make room ye happy natures of the sky, Room for a soul, all Love and Harmony; A Soul that rose to such Perfection here, It scarce will be advanced by being there. Whether (to us by Transmigration given), He once was an Inhabitant of Heav'n, And form'd for Musick, with Diviner fire Endu'd, compos'd, for the Celestial Choir; Not for the Vulgar Race of Light to hear, But on High-days to glad th' Immortal Ear. So in some leisure hour was sent away, (Their Hour is here a Life, a Thousand years their Day.) And what th' Ætherial Musick was to show, And teach the wonders of that Art below; Whether this might not be, the Muse appeals To his Composures, where such Magick dwells, As rivals Heav'nly Skill, and human Pow'r excels. * * * * *