| Citation |
BPB.768.009
8 Feb 1768:23 (547)
Extract of a letter from Paris, dated Octo. 7.
Some young persons walking lately in the wood of Boulogne,
perceived there an Abbe singing at the foot of a tree. They
drew near and surround him. The Abbe, startled at his
auditory, stops short. The forwardest of them addresses
him, & tells him, that attracted by the charms of his voice,
they are come there to listen to him. The singer excuses
himself. They insist; he refuses. The petulant orator
lifts up his cane, and threatens to take the measure of his
shoulders if he required any further entreaty. A pretty
method indeed of teaching one to sing, said the Abbe. I
agree that it is rather harsh, but we will cut off your ears
for you, if you like that better. The poor devil--seeing
there was no reasoning with these gentlemen, set about his
part, and sung, as we may imagine, very ill. To it again,
Sir, said the orator; we shall perform better the second
time. In short, they made him pass thro' the whole scale of
musick, after which they withdrew with great commendations
on his voice, and above all on his compliance in singing.
[Story continues with Abbe's revenge] the Abbe takes a
pistol out of his pocket, and claps it to his breast. We
are now come here to fight, sir, said he; you made me sing
yesterday against my will, I take you to be a very good
dancer, and you shall dance, or I will blow out your brains.
. . Accordingly he asks submissively, what he must dance.
Cupis minuet is what I am going to sing, said the Abe, who
therefore warbles out the tune, directing his pupil all the
while by the pistol. When the minuet was over, the Abbe
required a country dance a hornpipe, rigadoon, &c. . . [They
end as friends.]
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