JOHN DANBY—Still less is known of this composer than of the preceding. He gained ten prizes from the Catch-club, for seven glees, two canons, and an ode. Among the first are three which will secure to him a niche in the temple of Fame, viz., ‘When Sappho tuned the raptured strain,’ ‘Awake, Æolian lyre,’ and ‘The fairest flowers the vale prefer.’ He was a member of the Catholic church, and died, either at the end of the last or beginning of the present century, at the moment a concert was performing for his benefit; for long-continued bad health had much impaired his circumstances, and rendered the assistance of his friends and the public essentially necessary.
RICHARD JAMES SAMUEL STEVENS is still living, at an advanced age, but has long retired from active life. His first appointment was as organist to the Temple. In 1795 he succeeded Mr. John Jones in the place of organist of the Charter House; and in 1801, on the death of Dr. Aylward, was elected Professor of Music to Gresham College. In 1782 he gained the prize-medal for a serious glee, ‘See, what horrid tempests rise!’ and another in 1786, a cheerful glee, ‘It was a lover and his lass.’ But his most popular works, those which will transmit his name, are, ‘Ye spotted snakes,’ ‘Sigh no more, ladies,’ ‘From Oberon,’ ‘Crabbed age and youth,’ and ‘Strike the harp in praise of Bragela,’ compositions sparkling with genius, but which some who delectate in canons affect to despise, unmindful of Æsop’s well-known apologue. The most stubborn line-and-rule critics, however, are forced to admit the merit of his five-voiced serious glee, from Ossian, ‘Some of my heroes are low,’ in which the poetry and science of music are equally blended.
Mr. Stevens published two, if not three, sets of glees, and edited a useful Collection of Anthems, &c., in three folio volumes. He has one son, recently a gentleman-commoner at Oxford, who, it is to be presumed, will inherit his very independent fortune.
REGINALD SPOFFORTH was a native of Southwell in Nottinghamshire, a place famed for its venerable collegiate church, of which his uncle, Mr. Thomas Spofforth, was organist, who so ably instructed his nephew in music, and by his example as well as precept fixed in him such habits of industry, that at en unusually early age he became qualified to officiate for his relation, and distinguished himself at the concerts given in different parts of the county. Being much noticed by Sir Richard Kaye, Bart., a prebendary of Southwell and Dean of Lincoln, he accompanied his patron to the latter place, and for a short time acted as deputy-organist of the cathedral[84], but soon quitted that city, and proceeded to London, where he became a disciple of Dr. Cooke, under whom he studied upwards of three years, with every advantage that could be derived from so admirable an instructor, seconded by the most unwearied assiduity. He also took lessons of Steibelt on the piano-forte, and devoted some portion of his time to the Italian language. But his knowledge and skill were not immediately productive, and he had to encounter pecuniary difficulties, for his father was unable to assist him, and his uncle—a miser, such as is rarely met with but on the stage—was unwilling. His wants, however, were few, and his talents in every branch of his profession at length forced him into notice. In 1793, he offered to the Catch-club a serious and a cheerful glee, as candidates for the prizes, and obtained both: ‘Where are those hours?’ and ‘See, smiling from the rosy East,’ were the successful compositions. He now formed an acquaintance with Mr. Shield, musical manager of Covent Garden, and contributed many songs, duets, &c. to various pieces produced at that theatre. When the latter set out on his Italian tour, Mr. Harris offered the vacant appointment to Mr. Spofforth, who, weighing the difficulties and vexations inseparable from the office, with great prudence declined the proposal. He now determined to divide his time between teaching and the composition of glees, and was soon so much occupied by the former, while he devoted to the latter hours that ought to have been surrendered to sleep, that his health was gradually undermined, and he at length fell a victim to his industry and application.
In 1797 he undertook the musical direction of a toxopholitico-musico-theatrical club, called the Bowman’s Lodge, which was supported by some of the beau monde. He also accepted the place of organist to Fitzroy Chapel, which he relinquished for that at Eltham, where he passed much time, giving lessons at a great school in the neighbourhood, and enjoying the society of his friend Mr. Laurence, brother to the learned civilian, who was the intimate of Burke, and for some years member for Peterborough.
In 1826 Mr. Spofforth lost his uncle, whose fortune fell to him: he, however, enjoyed his independence but for a short period. The year after, in the month of August, the nervousness of which he had so long been the prey, and which for many years had prevented his attempting any new work, appeared in a fatal form. On the 31st he was attacked by paralysis, and lost the use of one side. In this state he continued till the 8th of September, when he expired, in the fifty-eighth year of his age.
Besides the two prize-glees above mentioned, Mr. Spofforth produced several of at least equal excellence; among which, ‘Mark’d you her eye of heavenly blue?’ ‘Health to my dear!’ ‘L’Ape e le Serpe,’ ‘Hail, smiling morn,’ and ‘Come, bounteous May,’ have received the stamp of public approbation that never will be effaced, and which their intrinsic merit alone obtained; for the author was a man too modest in his nature, too retiring in his habits, to have recourse to means adopted by many composers, and perhaps fairly, for the purpose of forcing their works into notice.