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of books and manuscripts. The richness
of his taste, in singing, makes ample a-
mends for the want of force in his voice,
which is now but a thread. He has a
great collection of Palestrini's composi-
tions, and furnished me with several of
them, which I could not get elsewhere.
Signor Mazzanti is famous for singing
the poem of Tasso to the same melody as
the Gondoliers of Venice. This he does
with infinite taste, accompanying himself
on the violin, with the harmony of which
he produces curious and pleasing effects.
I prevailed on him to write me down the
original melody, in order to compare it
with one that I took down at Venice,
while it was singing on the great canal.
He has compofed many things himself,
such as operas and motets for voices; and
trios, quartets, quintets, and other pieces
for violins. He plays pretty well on the
violin, and is in possession of the most
beautiful and perfect Steiner I ever saw.
He has advanced very far in the theory of
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