In the Mourning Bride, Act 1 by William Congreve the 18th cent. dramatist, Almeria declaims: 'Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak' And this is undoubtedly true if the story of the Russian Envoy and the Goldberg Variations is to be believed. Count Kayserling, we are told, complained to the great J.S. Bach about his frequent bouts of insomnia. Whereupon the Kapellmeister composed a number of variations which have come to be known as the Goldberg Variations after the Count's harpsichordist. Johann Goldberg. These variations did to the Count what counting sheep do to you and I. Coming to think of it this idea of having private musicians on hand is so much better than computing ruminants. Tony de Freitas Trinidad, W.I. [log in to unmask]