London Institution, 15 April 1858 Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society, 29 April 1859

When foreign writers upon music make up their minds to do justice to England, then will it be universally acknowledged that this country has performed a most important share in connection with the progress of the art. Symptoms of an improved and more liberal state of things on the part of foreign critics are indeed now apparent, but until recently one could not but be amused at the ingenuity with which our Continental musical censors, when speaking of the great composers of Europe, avoided nearly all allusion to England, <which had been the first to appreciate them and their works, in many cases the country of their adoption, and where they found their talents most appreciated and most rewarded> – ﹛the country which has ever been the most ready to welcome, to appreciate, and to reward the sons of art﹜.

In collecting my material for this evening's lecture, <I was even unprepared for the intimate connexion there has so long been, between this country and foreign musicians, and considering myself fully armed to defend my position, I really found that I had underestimated my strength.> I was reminded that I had forgotten to include one great name in my enumeration of those who had delighted to visit England, in a time that England, by means of the little facility of travelling, might be said to be almost inaccessible.

Let me give you a complete list of those great heroes of the musical art who have honoured England with their love, and whom England has delighted to honour: Handel, Gluck, Mozart, Haydn, Clementi, Dussek, Spohr, Rossini, Weber, Hummel, Mendelssohn. Here is a long string of names, known to past England and present England, names of illustrious musicians – all of whom had no reason to regret their visits to us.

It is not my intention this evening to entertain you with much of the personal histories of these great men, nor indeed to enter more fully into their artistical career than will just serve to connect one epoch with another and maintain the plan of my lecture.