Hamilton's Edition of the Select Songs of Scotland, arranged with
Symphonies and Accompaniments for the Pianoforte. This work, which proceeds from the Glasgow press, does great credit to Mr. Hamilton in as far as his functions as publisher are concerned. In re- spect to the quality of paper, clearness of typography, and general getting up, it is one of the handsomest musical publications we have met with. But it is impossible to take up a new collection of Scottish songs without asking ourselves, cui bono? Is such a publication at all called for? does it contain anything of value not to be found in collections already in the hands of the public? or, if it does not present any novelty, has it the ad- vantage of comparative cheapness? These questions a perusal of the book obliges us to answer in the negative. It does not include a single melody, or a single set of verses, of any merit, that is not to be found in previous collections-in those of George Thomson, of John Thomson and Finlay Dun, of John Wilson the vocalist, or of Wood; and the last-named publi- cation, of which we some time ago gave a particular account, is as cheap as that of Mr. Hamilton, while it considerably exceeds it in quantity of matter. Nor is there any peculiar merit in the editorial execution of the work. The symphonies and accompaniments of the airs are generally (though not always) grammatically correct; but they are mechanical, fanci- less, and destitute of characteristic variety. One feature-the historical and critical notices of the songs and airs-is common to this collection and that of Wood. But in this collection the notices are mere compilations, Which lack the learned research and original thinking of Mr. Graham, the editor of Wood's collection; of whose labours it is plain that the present editor has freely availed himself, without acknowledging the obligation.
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