My Lord,

Should be afraid of leaving the World under the Imputation of Ingratitude, should I any longer defer publishing the very many Favours, which Your Lordship so generously has bestow'd on me in Italy, in Germany, in Flanders, in England; and principally at your delightful Seat at Parson's-Green, where Your Lordship having been pleased to do me the Honour of imparting to me your Thoughts with Freedom, I have often had the Opportunity of admiring your extensive Knowledge, which almost made me overlook the Beauty and Elegance of the Place. The famous Tulip-Tree, in your Garden there is not so surprising a Rarity, as the uncommon Penetration of your Judgment, which has sometimes (I may say) foretold Events, which have afterwards come to pass. But what Return can I make for so great Obligations, when the mentioning of them is doing myself an Honour, and the very Acknowledgment has the Appearance of Vanity? It is better therefore to treasure them up in my Heart, and remain respectfully silent; only making an humble Request to Your Lordship that you will condescend favourably to accept this mean Offering of my Observations; which I am induc'd to make, from the common Duty which lies upon every Professor to preserve Musick in its Perfection; and upon Me in particular, for having been the first, or among the first, of those who discovered the noble Genius of your potent and generous Nation for it. However, I should not have presum'd to dedicate them to a Hero adorn'd with such glorious Actions, if Singing was not a Delight of the Soul, or if any one had a Soul more sensible of its Charms. On which account, I think, I have a just Pretence to declare myself, with profound Obsequiousness,

Your Lordship's
Most humble,
Most devoted and
Most oblig'd Servant,
Pier. Francesco Tosi.

THE

CONTENTS.

he [Introduction.]Pag. [1]
[CHAP. I.]
Observations for one who teaches a Soprano.p.[ 10]
[CHAP. II.]
Of the Appoggiatura.p.[ 31]
[CHAP. III.]
Of the Shake.p.[ 41]
[CHAP. IV.]
On Divisions.p.[ 51]
[CHAP. V.]
Of Recitative.p.[ 66]
[CHAP. VI.]
Observations for a Student.p.[ 79]
[CHAP. VII.]
Of Airs.p.[ 91]
[CHAP. VIII.]
Of Cadences.p.[ 126]
[CHAP. IX.]
Observations for a Singer.p.[ 140]
[CHAP. X.]
Of Passages or Graces.p.[ 174]