§ 31. I do not know if a perfect Singer can at the same time be a perfect Actor; for the Mind being at once divided by two different Operations, he will probably incline more to one than the other; It being, however, much more difficult to sing well than to act well, the Merit of the first is beyond the second. What a Felicity would it be, to possess both in a perfect Degree![96]
§ 32. Having said, a Singer should not copy, I repeat it now with this Reason; that to copy is the part of a Scholar, that of a Master is to invent.
§ 33. Let it be remembered by the Singer, that copying comes from Laziness, and that none copy ill but out of Ignorance.
§ 34. Where Knowledge with Study makes one a good Singer, Ignorance with one single Copy makes a thousand bad ones; however, among these there are none that will acknowledge her for a Teacher.
§ 35. If many of the female Singers (for whom I have due Respect) would be pleased to consider, that by copying a good one, they are become very bad ones, they would not appear so ridiculous on the Stage for their Affectation in presuming to sing the Airs of the Person they copy, with the same Graces. In this great Error, (if it does not proceed from their Masters) they seem to be governed by Instinct, like the inferior Creatures, rather than by Reason; for That would shew them, that we may arrive at Applause by different ways, and past Examples, as well as one at this present make us sensible, that two Women would not be equally eminent if the one copy'd the other.[97]
§ 36. If the Complaisance, which is due to the fair Sex, does not excuse the Abuse of copying when it proves prejudicial to the Profession, what ought one then to say of those Men, who, instead of inventing, not only copy others of their own Sex, but also Women. Foolish and shameful!—--Supposing an Impossibility, viz. that a Singer has arrived at copying in such a Manner as not to be distinguished from the Original, should he attribute to himself a Merit which does not belong to him, and dress himself out in the Habits of another without being afraid of being stripp'd of them?
§ 37. He, that rightly knows how to copy in Musick, takes nothing but the Design; because that Ornament, which we admire when natural, immediately loses its Beauty when artificial.
§38. The most admired Graces of a Professor ought only to be imitated, and not copied; on Condition also, that it does not bear not even so much as a Shadow of Resemblance of the Original; otherwise, instead of a beautiful Imitation, it will become a despicable Copy.
§ 39. I cannot decide, which of the two deserves most to be despised, one who cannot imitate a good Singer without Caricatura's, or He that cannot imitate any well but bad ones.
§ 40. If many Singers knew, that a bad Imitation is a contagious Evil, to which one who studies is not liable, the World would not be reduc'd to the Misfortune of seeing in a Carnaval but one Theatre provided with eminent Performers, without Hopes of[98] an approaching Remedy. Let them take it for their Pains. Let the World learn to applaud Merit; and (not to use a more harsh Expression) be less complaisant to Faults.