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TOC
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The Abate Giancalisto Zanotti, ne-
phew to the learned philosopher of that
name, composed the Dixit; and in this
performance there were all the marks of
an original and cultivated genius. The
movements, and even passages were well
contracted; and, to make use of the lan-
guage of painters, there were discernible
in it, not only light and shade, but even
mezzotints. He proceeded from one
thing to another by such easy and in-
sensible gradations, that it seemed wholly
the work of nature, though conducted
with the greatest art. The accompani-
ments were judicious, the ritornels al-
ways expressed something, the melody was
new and full of taste, and the whole was
put together with great judgment, and
even learning. In short, I have very sel-
dom in my life received greater pleasure
from music that this performance afford-
ed me; and yet the vocal parts were but
indifferently executed, for at this time
there were no great singers at Bologna,
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