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to say the truth, I have neither met with a great player on the harpsichord, nor an original composer for it throughout Italy*. There is no accounting for this but by the little use which is made of that in- strument there, except to accompany the voice. It is at present so much neglected both by the maker and player, that it is difficult to say whether the instruments themselves, or the performers are the worst.
To persons accustomed to English harp- sichords, all the keyed instruments on the continent appear to great disadvantage. Throughout Italy they have generally little octave spinnets to accompany sing- ing, in private houses, sometimes in a triangular form, but more frequently in the shape of our old virginals; of which the keys are so noisy, and the tone is so feeble, that more wood is heard than
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