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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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