his earliest musical instructor was his eldest half brother, mr. james burney, who was then, and for more than half a century afterwards, organist of st. margaret’s, shrewsbury; in which city the young musician elect began his professional studies.
it was, however, in age only that mr. james burney was his brother’s senior or superior; from him, therefore, whatever could be given or received, was finished almost ere it was begun, from the
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quickness with which his pupil devoted himself to what he called the slavery of conquering unmeaning difficulties in the lessons of the times.
the following spirited paragraph on his juvenile progress is transcribed from his early memorandums.
“the celebrated felton, and after him, the first dr. hayes, came from oxford to shrewsbury on a tour, while i was studying hard, without instruction or example; and they amazed and stimulated me so forcibly by their performance on the organ, as well as by their encouragement, that i thenceforward went to work with an ambition and fury that would hardly allow me to eat or sleep.
“the quantity of music which i copied at this time, of all kinds, was prodigious; and my activity and industry surprised every body; for, besides writing, teaching, tuning, and playing for my brother, at my momens perdus, i was educating myself in every way i was able. with copy-books, i improved my hand-writing so much, that my father did not believe i wrote my letters to him myself. i tried hard to at least keep up the little latin i had learned; and i diligently practised both the spinet and violin; which, with reading, transcribing music for business, and poetry for pleasure; attempts at composition, and attention to my brother’s affairs, filled up every minute of the longest day.
“i had, also, a great passion for angling; but whenever i could get leisure to pursue that sport, i ran no risk of losing my time, if the fish did not bite; for i had always a book in my pocket, which enabled me to wait with patience their pleasure.”
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another paragraph, which is singular and amusing, is transcribed, also, from the shrewsbury annals:—
