Dialogue Concerning Regular Singing, Title page – Recommendation
UTILE DULCI. OR, A Joco-Serious Dialogue, Concerning Regular Singing: Calculated for a Particular Town, (where it was publickly had, On Friday Oct. 12. 1722.) but may ſerve ſome other places in the ſame Climate.
By THOMAS SYMMES, Philomuſicus.
Auditum admi…, Riſum tene…tis Amici? Hor.
Omnium Temporum Heroes et Pii Vin, atque …tis Amantes, Muſicam Magnifecerunt. Alded. De Muſica.
Of all Beaſts, there is none (ſaith Aelian) that is not delighted with Harmony, but only the Aſs. Plays Introd. Pref.
No Science but Muſick may enter the Doors of the Church. Ven. Beda
BOSTON: Printed by B. Green, for Samuel Gerriſh, near the Brick Meeting Houſe in Cornhill. 1723.
The Preface.
THE Occaſion of the Enſuing Dialogue it accounted for in the Introduction.
IT's the Fruit of a few Hours pains; being begun after Noon on Thurſday, and finiſhed before Noon next Day, without One tho't of it's ever being thus Expoſed to the publick view.
BUT ſeveral of my Friends, upon Hearing of it, were deſirous of having it Printed: which I the rather conſented to, becauſe divers for whoſe ſake it was drawn up, were not preſent, when it was publickly delivered, who may poſſibly take the pains to read it.
I deſign'd to have poliſh'd it as well as I cou'd before I let it appear abroad; and (having other Buſineſs in hand) I deſerv'd the Tranſcribing it, one Week after another, hoping for a more Convenient ſeaſon ſtill, to ſee about it. But at length deſpairing of any ſuch leiſure, and being unwilling to d…ſoblige my Friends, by any longer Delay, I reſolv'd to Tranſcribe it, a…faſt as I could, and have done ſo, without making any Material Alteration, ſave the Adding a few Quotations more than were in it at firſt. I therefore ask the Candour of my Critical Readers, (if any ſuch will vouchſafe to look upon it:) And as for the Captiens, if they don't like it, I hope they will be ſo very kind, as to let it alone.
IF it may, by GOD's Bleſſing, be Effectual, to ſatisfy any piouſly Diſpoſed Perſons, (or ſtop the Mouths of hold gainſayers) in the dark, about Singing by Note; ſo that, This Excellent, Good Old Way of Singing, may be more promoted and practic'd in the Country, I've gained my Point. Now that it may be ſo and our Singing Dev… as well as Muſical, is the Humble, Fervent Pray…. of the Unworthy Author,
T. Symmes.
The Recommendation.
WE the Subſcribers, willing to Countenance and Promote Regular Singing, or Singing by Note, Do ſignifie our Approbation of the Subſtance & Deſign of the Enſuing Dialogue. We pray GOD to bleſs it, for the Noble End unto which it is Adapted.
Thomas Blower of Beverly
Samuel Moodey of York
John Rogers of Boxford
John Tuſts of Newbury
Thomas Foxcroft of Boſton.