The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-10-04 00:00:00

ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

Professor G. A. Macfarren delivered the inaugural
address to the students of the Royal Academy of
Music in Tenterden-street, Hanover-square. After
referring to the loss the Academy had suffered by the
death of Mr. George Benson, one of the professors
of singing, Professor Macfarren said that some
persons were naturally gifted with greater readi-
ness in fingering and a greater flexibility of voice than
others, but however gifted, it was necessary that
all musicians should give great attention to the
mechanical preparation of the task they undertook.
The organ yielded the same tone to all who touched
the instrument, but that was not so with the piano-

forte. On the pianoforte different players -would
produce different effects, and the study of mechanical
exercise was especially valuable in developing
the power of touch. It was the touch on the piano-
forte which distinguished the pianist as much as the
quality of voice distinguished the singer. It was not
the playing of completed compositions by which a
good touch could be acquired, but the practice of par-
ticular exercises--the gymnastics of the hand, which
gave such a facility and power to the fingers. It was
a gratifying fact that beauty was not onefold, but that
wherever there was beauty of tone there must be with
it beauty of proportion, and, above all things, beauty of
workmanship. To be certain of beauty of tone he or
she must be exempt from facial grimaces. By con-
tortion of the mouth inappropriate and unbeautiful
sounds were produced. In the same way a pianist
who sat in a clumsy position, and had a violent
action from side to side when 'playing passages,
neither displayed her figure to advantage nor
played well. He said that it was by graceful, long-
continued, and assiduous work alone that they would
perfect themselves in the vocal or instrumental music
they pursued. He reminded them that Mendelsshon,
who had complete command of the keyboard, refused
to play in public a piece that was offered to him at
short notice, although he could have played all the
notes and could perceive the meaning of the piece, on
the ground that he (Mendelssohn) regarded it as aL
impertinence to the author, an intrusion on the
audience, and an injustice to himself to execute a
musical work which he had not entirely appropriated
to his own being and his own consciousness. He
urged them, in conclusion, never to weary of the
study of a great work until they had mastered its
beauties.

SHOCKING 4AOLECT OF A CHILD.
On Saturday Dr. Danford Thomas held an inquiry
at Crowndale-hall, St. Pancras, London, on the body
of Mary 'rambling, aged 21 months, daughter of a
cabdriver, who expired in St. Pancras Workhouse
Infirmary, after alleged neglect. Charles William
'rambling, the father, stated that he at present lived
at 12, Wellesley-street, but formerly occupied the
front room at 16, Derby-street, Gray's-inn-road. He
took home money daily, varying in amount generally
from 2s. 6d. to 3s. At times he was from home 18
hours out of the 24, and therefore did not know
what his wife did during his absence. Police-
constable Alfred Robinson, 254 G, stated that
on the sth inst. he went to the premises with
a distress warrant; he then saw the mother with
the deceased lying on a bed. The infant was
in an emaciated condition. There was a plate
containing some crumbs of potatoes, which the little
one was picking up eagerly. He informed the re-
lievinc, officer of what he .I'al seen. John Wright,
relieving officer, said he went to the premises with Dr.
S. L. Smith, the parochial medical officer, and found
the child in a most neglected condition. The father
came, saying that he could not help it, and the mother
applied for a medical order, she being at the time in
a state of intoxication. The infant was admitted to
the workhouse on the 6th. Harry Busby, the land-
lord or agent of the house in which the parents had
lived, stated that the father was a hard-working man,
and paid his rent regularly. On the contrary, the
mother was a perpetual drunkard, and the elder
children were constantly going to the public-house.
He never saw the deceased until he entered the
room with the warrant-officer to turn the family
out. The infant was then in a neglected state,
her legs not being thicker than a man's finger.
Charlotte Gleeson and Elizabeth Wilmott stated that
they had tried to pass food to the children through
the ,revice of the locked door. Walter M'Dunlop,
the resident medical officer of St. Pancras, said that
the infant was in a dirty state, and covered with spots,
the result of bad or insufficient food. The weight was
only 61.1 b., or merely that of a new-born child. Being
placed on special diet, it ate ravenously, and before
death had gained in weight. The cause of death was
waste and exhaustion from want of food. causing en-
largement of the glands. The mother denied having
half-a-crown a day, saying that she sometimes got is.,
other times is. 6d. The jury returned a verdict in
accordance with the medical evidence. The coroner,
admonishing the mother, said it was one of the most
sad and horrible cases that ever came under his
notice.