The attempt to write a Life of Henry Purcell has been beset with many difficulties. So much information which might have been pre-served for the instruction of after times has been lost, either through the indifference or culpable neglect of those who had it in their power to have placed on record details which would have been interesting. Sir John Hawkins and Dr. Burney are particularly open to censure on this head. They possessed many opportunities for gaining authentic knowledge of facts and circumstances now lost for ever. In reading their histories of music we cannot but feel regret that they neglected to gather and garner the stores of Purcellian lore which were so accessi-ble to them, and which they could so easily have rescued from oblivi-on.
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