§ 19. The Presumption of some Singers is not to be borne with, who expect that an whole _Orchestre_ should stop in the midst of a well-regulated Movement, to wait for their ill-grounded Caprices, learned by Heart, carried from one Theatre to another, and perhaps stolen from some applauded female Singer, who had better Luck than Skill, and whose Errors were excused in regard to her Sex.----Softly, softly with your Criticism, says one; this, if you do not know it, is called Singing after the _Mode_----Singing after the _Mode_?----I say, you are mistaken. The stopping in the _Airs_ at every second and fourth, and on all the sevenths and sixths of the Bass, was a bad Practice of the ancient Masters, disapproved fifty Years ago by _Rivani_, called _Ciecolino_,[61] who with invincible Reasons shewed the proper Places for Embellishments, without begging Pauses. This Percept was approved by several eminent Persons, among whom was Signer _Pistochi_,[62] the most famous of our, and all preceding Times, who has made himself immortal, by shewing the way of introducing Graces without transgressing against Time. This Example alone, which is worth a Thousand (O my rever'd _Moderns_!) should be sufficient to undeceive you. But if this does not satisfy you, I will add, that _Sifacio_[63] with his mellifluous Voice embrac'd this Rule; that _Buzzolini_[64] of incomparable Judgment highly esteemed it: After them _Luigino_[65] with his soft and amorous Stile followed their Steps; likewise _Signora Boschi_[66] who, to the Glory of her Sex, has made it appear, that Women, who study, may instruct even Men of some Note. That _Signora Lotti_,[67] strictly keeping to the same Rules, with a penetrating Sweetness of Voice, gained the Hearts of all her Hearers. If Persons of this Rank, and others at present celebrated all over _Europe_, whom I forbear to name; if all these have not Authority enough to convince you, that you have no Right to alter the Time by making Pauses, consider at least, that by this Error in respect of Time, you often fall into a greater, which is, that the Voice remains unaccompanied, and deprived of Harmony; and thereby becomes flat and tiresome to the best Judges. You will perhaps say in Excuse, that few Auditors have this Discernment, and that there are Numbers of the others, who blindly applaud every thing that has an Appearance of Novelty. But whose fault is this? An Audience that applauds what is blameable, cannot justify your Faults by their Ignorance; it is your Part to set them right, and, laying aside your ill-grounded Practice, you should own, that the Liberties you take are against Reason, and an insult upon all those instrumental Performers that are waiting for you, who are upon a Level with you, and ought to be subservient only to the Time. In short, I would have you reflect, that the abovementioned Precept will always be of Advantage to you; for though under the neglecting of it, you have a Chance to gain Applause of the Ignorant only; by observing it, you will justly merit that of the Judicious, and the Applause will become universal.