The British Musical Biography

[E] Dibdin, Charles, composer and writer,
was born at Dibden, near Southampton [bap-
tized March 4], 1745. He studied at Win-
chester College, and was taught music by
Kent and Fussell. Appeared as an actor at
Richmond and Birmingliam. Went to Lon-
don, and was employed by Bickerstaff as
composer and singer, 1765. Renounced stage,
and commenced giving medley monodramas
in London, 1788. He died at London, July
25, 1814.

[W] Works. — Musical Dramas etc. — Shepherd's
Artifice, 1763 ; Love in the city, 1767 ; Damon
and Phillida, 1768 ; Lionel and Clarissa, 1768 ;
Padlock, 1768 ; Maid the Mistress, 1769 ; Re-
cruiting Sergeant, 1769; Ephesian Matron,
1769 ; Jubilee, 1769 ; Queen Mab, 1769 ; Cap-
tive, 1769 ; Pigmy Revel, 1770 ; Wedding Ring ;
Institution of the Garter, 1770 ; Ladle, 1772 ;
Mischance ; Brickdust Man ; Widow of Ab-
ingdon ; Palace of Mirth, 1772 ; Christmas
Tale, 1773 ; Trip to Portsmouth ; Deserter ;
Grenadier, 1773 ; Waterman, 1774 ; Cobbler,
1774 ; Quaker, 1775 ; Two Misers, 1775 ; Se-
raglio, 1776 ; Blackamoor ; Metamorphoses ;
Razor grinder ; Yo, yea, or the friendly Tars ;
Old Woman of eighty ; Mad Doctor ; She is
raad for a Husband ; England against Italy ;
Fortune Hunter : All's not gold that glitters,
1776 ; Poor Vulcan, 1778 ; Rose and Colin ;
Wives Revenged ; Annette and Lubin ; Milk-
maid, 1778 ; Plymouth in an uproar, 1779 ;
Chelsea Pensioners ; Mirror ; Touchsione,
1779 ; Shepherdess of the Alps, 1780 ; Har-
lequin Freemason ; Islanders, 1780 ; Jupiter
and Alcmena, 1781 ; None so blind as those
who won't see, 1782 ; Barrier of Parnassus,
1783 ; Graces ; Saloon ; Mandarina ; Land
of simplicity ; Passions ; Statue ; Clump and
Cudden ; Benevolent Tar ; Regions of Ac-
complishment ; Lancashire Witches, 1783 ;
Cestus, 1784 ; Pandora ; Long Odds ; Liberty
hall, 1785 ; Harvest Home, 1787 ; Loyal
effusion, 1797. Monodramas — Whim of the
moment, 1788; Oddities, 1789; Wags; Pri-
vate Theatricals, 1791 ; Quizzes, 1792 ; Castles
in the air, 1793 ; Great news, 1794 ; Will of
the wisp, 1795 ; Christmas gambols, 1795 ;
General Election, 1796 ; Sphinx, 1797 ; Val-
entine's day, 1797; King and Queen, 1798;
Tour to the Land's End, 1799 ; Tom Wilkins,
1799 ; Cake house, 1800 ; Frisk, 1801 ; Most
votes, 1802; New Year's Gifts ; Broken Gold;
Briton's Strike Home ; Datchet Mead; Com-
modore Pennant ; Heads and Tails ; Frolic,
etc. Literary Musical Works — The Harmonic
Preceptor, a Didactic poem in three parts,
London, 1804 ; The English Pythagoras, or
every man his own music-master, London,
1808; Music epitomized, a School Book in
which the whole science of music is clearly
explained, London, n.d. Hannah Hewitt, or
the female Crusoe, novel, 1792 ; Younger
brother, novel, 1793 ; Musical tour, Sheffield,
1788 ; History of the Stage, London, 5 vols.,
1795 ; Observations on a Tour through almost
the whole of England, and a considerable
part of Scotland . . . London, 2 vols., 1801 ;
The professional life of Mr. Dibdin, written
by himself, with the words of six hundred
songs selected from his works, London, 4 vols.,
1803. Songs, chronologically arranged, with
notes, memoir, etc., by George Hogarth, 1842,
2 vols.

[+] Dibdin, according to the biography prefixed
by his son Thomas to the 1875 edition of his
songs, wrote over 1300 songs. In addition to
these he wrote other music in his entertain-
ments, etc., the gross amount of music and
words which he wrote being in number over
3000 pieces. Of these, very few are now used,
" The Waterman " is the only large piece,
and "Poor Jack" and "Tom Bowling"
almost the only songs.

entry id: 123-R-49