Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-05-14

their children to be polluted by such
gross ideas, if those songs would not
disgrace even brothcl !
1t is universally acknowledged that
music operates powerfully upon the
human mind, and when the senti-
mcnts are pure and Of an cnnobing
kind, it is not cxtravagant TO believe
that the sensations it cxcitcs are
nearly allied to immortal joys-But
when the sentiments arc impure, cal
culated to sensuaiee every feeling Of
the soul, the effect must be proper
tionably degrading and that modcsty,
so admirably likened to the sensitive
plant, completely destroyed before
the youthful victim to those deluding
compositions, is aware that she has
lost the constituent excellence Of her
character.
In the papers above alluded to, the
subject Of song writing is treated Of in
strain Of satire, which probably
has much effect on some minds and
as the ideas may be new 10 my young
readers, will quote passage. 1t
is to be observed of love songs, that
it seems to be an established rule
with the writers Of them, to steer as
clear as possible from common sense.
Indeed but there is little room for
this property in the brains Of love
sick poet. lie takes leave of the
present world, and flies to the regions
Of fancy where he needs no other
resting place, than RHYME. Conf
dent that the music master will hide
all his faiings; and cover all his de-
fccts with quavers and crotchets, he
violates every rule ofpropriety, every
sentiment Of deccncy, every law Of
providence, and distorts every image
of nature.
The captious will exclaim, you
know nothing Of The charms Of music,
and are snarling, like The dog in the
old fable, at phat you can neither taste
nor relish.
True, am no musician, yet feel my
own mind amazingly influenced by
the concord Of sweet sounds,n from
which very circumstance Judge how
powerfully they must operate on
those who are naturally musicians.
Proportioncd to this power is the i'm
portance that the words, which our
young female performers chant to
their instruments, should convey sem
timents tending to ennoblc, to amend,
TO ihvigorate the mind. Are the
fashionable songs of the present day
calculated to do this?
The oIjeotor to all restraint which
seems to give a check to mirth, will
assert that eternal n,oralizing is death
TO hilarity, destructive to all social joy.
Permit me to ask, whether as much
hiliarity will not pcrvadc the circle,
which has been entertained by music
set to such words as unite tenderness
to morality, as to songs where that
love (styled by Addison the affection
Of the cycs) is dressed in the disgusting
garb of the voluptuary and where in
decent imagery and libcrtinc scnti,
ments are offered in every sentence?
Must a thing necessarily be dull and
supplying, because it imparts a relish
for the highest enjoyment human ma
ture is capable of, namely, the cxer-
else ofhumanity, the cultivation Of in
tellect, and the practice of devotion.
Is the mind of man so degraded, that
nothing but the silly repetition of
" burning Kisses" sweetest blisses,"
"cvcr charming,' Glove alarming"
"blisS enjoying" "never cloying,"
&c. can impart mirth and good humour
to the social circle? If we are indeed
so vitiated, it requires vigorous cf-
fort from the friends of virtue to puri-
fy the source of this degradation, a
corrupt heart. And, if the humble
efforts of the Monitress, should induce
parents and guardians, once in a while,
to examine the selections Of songs,
taught to their young, unsuspecting,
but easily deluded children, she would
hope she had made one step towards
this desired puri6cation.-.4lbum.