Chapter CXCV

ANOTHER LESSON WITH THE STORY AND MANNER OF ITS PRODUCTION.

_Οὐδεὶς ἐρεῖ ποθ᾽, ὡς ὑπόβλητον λόγον,
———ἔλεξας, ἀλλὰ τῆς σαυτῦ φρενός._

SOPHOCLES.

Master Mace has another lesson which he calls Hab-Nab; it “has neither fugue, nor very good form,” he says, “yet a humour, although none of the best;” and his “story of the manner and occasion of Hab-Nab's production,” affords a remarkable counterpart to that of his favourite lesson.

“View every bar in it,” he says, “and you will find not any one Bar like another, nor any affinity in the least kind betwixt strain and strain, yet the Air pleaseth some sort of people well enough; but for my own part, I never was pleased with it; yet because some liked it, I retained it. Nor can I tell how it came to pass that I thus made it, only I very well remember, the time, manner, and occasion of its production, (which was on a sudden,) without the least premeditation, or study, and merely accidentally; and, as we use to say, _ex tempore_, in the _tuning of a lute_.

“And the occasion, I conceive, might possibly contribute something towards it, which was this.

“I had, at that very instant, when I made it, an agitation in hand, viz. The stringing up, and tuning of a Lute, for a person of an ununiform, and inharmonical disposition, (as to Music,) yet in herself well proportioned, comely, and handsome enough, and ingenious for other things, but to Music very unapt, and learned it only to please her friends, who had a great desire she should be brought to it, if possible, but never could, to the least good purpose; so that at the last we both grew weary; _for there is no striving against such a stream_.

“I say, this occasion possibly might be the cause of this so inartificial a piece, in regard that that person, at that time, was the chief object of my mind and thoughts. I call it inartificial, because the chief observation (as to good performance,) is wholly wanting. Yet it is true Music, and has such a form and humour, as may pass, and give content to many. Yet I shall never advise any to make things thus by hab-nab,[1] without any design, as was this. And therefore I give it that name.”

[Footnote 1: _Hab-Nab_ is a good old English word, derived from the Anglo-Saxon. Skinner is correct enough. “Temerè, sine consilio _ab_ AS. _Habban_ Habere, _Nabban_, non Habere, addito scilicet _na_, non, cum apostropho.” Will-nill, i.e. Will ye, or will ye not, is a parallel form. Every one will recollect the lines of Hudibras, (Part ii. Canto iii.)

With that he circles draws, and squares,
With cyphers, astral characters:
Then looks 'em o'er to understand 'em
Although set down, _hab nab_, at random.

Dr. Grey illustrates the expression from Don Quixote, “Let every man,” says Sancho Pancha, “take care what he talks or how he writes of other men, and not set down _at random_, _hab-nab_, _higgledy-piggledy_, what comes into his noddle.” Part ii. c. iii.

On referring to the original it will be seen that the Translator has used three words for one. “Cada uno mire como habla o' como escriba de las presonas, y no ponga _à troche moche_ lo primero que le viene al magin.”]

“There are abundance of such things to be met with, and from the hands of some, who fain would pass for good composers; yet most of them may be traced, and upon examination, their things found only to be snaps and catches; which they,—having been long conversant in Music, and can command an Instrument, through great and long practice, some of them very well,—have taken here and there (hab-nab,) from several airs and things of other men's works, and put them handsomely together, which then pass for their own compositions.

“Yet I say, it is no affront, offence, or injury, to any Master, for another to take his Fugue, or Point to work upon, nor dishonour for any Artist so to do, provided he shew by his Workmanship, a different Discourse, Form, or Humour. But it is rather a credit and a repute for him so to do; for by his works he shall be known. It being observable, That great Master Composers may all along be as well known by their Compositions, or their own compositions known to be of them, as the great and learned writers may be known by their styles and works.”