[70] _Alessandro Stradella_ lived about _Pier. Simone's_ Time, or very little after. He was a most excellent Composer, superior in all Respects to the foregoing, and endowed with distinguishing personal Qualifications. It is reported, that his favourite Instrument was the Harp, with which he sometimes accompanied his Voice, which was agreeable. To hear such a Composer play on the Harp, must have been what we can have no Notion of, by what we now hear. He ended his Life fatally, for he was murthered. The Fact is thus related. Being at _Genoa_, a Place where the Ladies are allowed to live with more Freedom than in any other Part of _Italy_, _Stradella_ had the honour of being admitted into a noble Family, the Lady whereof was a great Lover of Musick. Her Brother, a wrong-headed Man, takes Umbrage at _Stradella's_ frequent Visits there, and forbids him going upon his Peril, which Order _Stradella_ obeys. The Lady's Husband not having seen _Stradella_ at his House for some Days, reproaches him with it. _Stradella_, for his Excuse, tells him his Brother-in-Law's Order, which the Nobleman is angry with, and charges him to continue his Visits as formerly; he had been there scarce three or four Times, but one Evening going Home, attended by a Servant and a Lanthorn, four Ruffians rushed out, the Lady's Brother one among them, and with _Stiletts_ or Daggers stabb'd him, and left him dead upon the Place. The people of _Genoa_ all in a Rage fought for the Murtherer, who was forced to fly, his Quality not being able to protect him. In another Account of him, this Particularity is mentioned; that the Murderers pursued him to _Rome_, and on Enquiry learned, that an _Oratorio_ of his Composition was to be performed that Evening; they went with an Intent to execute their Design, but were so moved with his Composition, that they rather chose to tell him his Danger, advised him to depart, and be upon his Guard. But, being pursued by others, he lost his Life. His Fate has been lamented by every Body, especially by those who knew his Merit, and none have thought him deserving so sad a Catastrophe.
[71] When _Tosi_ writ this, the Composers in Vogue were _Scarlatti_, _Bononcini_, _Gasparini_, _Mancini_, &c. The last and modern Stile has pretty well spread itself all over _Italy_, and begins to have a great Tendency to the same beyond the _Alps_, as he calls it.