Dr. John Blow

Two hundred years ago, or, to be precise, a little more than two hundred years, lived an eminent musician highly esteemed for his artistic gifts and for his honourable life. Dr. Blow was a prosperous man, and in addition to his town residence in the Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, he possessed a small country estate at Hampton-on-Thames, where he was wont occasionally to retire to recuperate his energies; he was there in the beginning of 1708, his health being considerably disordered, and, as a prudent man, he made his will and set his worldly affairs in order; subsequently he returned to the Broad Sanctuary, and died there on October 1 of the same year, 1708. He was honourably buried in a grave in the North Aisle of Westminster Abbey, near to the organ and adjacent to the resting-place of his former pupil, Henry Purcell. A tablet to his memory was speedily erected by his friends and admirers, on which was engraved a Gloria Patri in canon, taken from his Jubilate Deo in the key of G. This canon was sung on occasion in St. Peter's Church in Rome, and obtained world-wide fame. Only a few years ago the Emperor of Brazil, being on a visit to London, went to Westminster Abbey, and was conducted through the ancient building by Dean Stanley; after the latter had called the Emperor's attention to the salient features of the edifice, and its most important monuments, he suggested a return to the Deanery, when the Emperor said, “There is one monument I much wish to see, which you have missed.” The Dean, in surprise, inquired what it was, and the Emperor replied, “I want to see the celebrated canon which is engraved on Dr. Blow's monument.” The incident is equally creditable to Blow's fame and to the Emperor's intelligence.