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BENNETT, HULLAH, AND HATTON 127
' The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe,' a song intended, no doubt, to be very comic, was the only composition of Mr. Hatton's performed during the evening."
A favourite song of his at the piano, and one that used to provoke the utmost hilarity, was "The Little Fat Man," which was generally supposed to be a skit on himself.
In appearance Hatton was not unlike an old Jack Tar, a peculiarity that is well brought out in Mr. Charles Lyall's well-known caricature. Sims Reeves always used to call him "The Sultan " ; but the happiest description of all is that of a young lady who once remarked that his head was "like a boiled egg with a fringe round it!"
In the early days of his career Hatton wrote a good deal of instrumental music, but in this he was apparently not very successful, though he once had the honour of being compared to Mendelssohn, as is evident from a letter written by Thomas Attwood to Mendelssohn on February 9, 1835, and quoted in the Musical Ti?nes, in which he says :—
"We have recently had a new establishment here, which is called the ' Society of British Musicians,' in the hope of bringing forward native talent. I hardly need add that Sterndale Bennett stands pre-eminent. I, however, wish |
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