He would solemnly induce actresses to practice his songs :
After dinner I to teach Knipp my new recitative, of "It is decreed," of which she learnt a good part, and I do well like it and believe shall be well pleased when she hath it all, and that it will be found an agreeable thing.[1]
For the rest, as a person of importance, he did not take the trouble to write his accompaniments himself ; he had them written for him :
Thence going away met Mr. Kingston the organist (my old acquaintance) in the Court, and I took him to the Dog Tavern, and got him to set me a bass to my "It is decreed," which I think will go well. He commends the song (says Pepys ingenuously) not knowing the words, but says the ayre is good, and believes the words are plainly expressed.[2]
By and by comes Dr. Childe by appointment, and sat with me all the morning making me basses and inward parts to several songs that I desired of him.[3]
He was also interested in the theory of music :
To my chamber with a good fire, and there spent one hour on Morley's Introduction to Musique, a very good but unmethodical book.[4]
Walked to Woolwich, all the way reading Playford's "Introduction to Musique," wherein are some things very pretty.[5]
To Duck Lane to look out for Marsanne, in French, a man that has wrote well of musique, but it is not to be had, but I have given order for its being sent for over, and I did here buy Des Cartes, his little treatise on Musique.[6]
Making the boy read to me Des Cartes' book of Musick—which I understand not, nor think he did well that writ it, though a most learned man.[7]
