The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-10-27
LITERATURE AND THE ARTS.
.oRAToRY AND MUSIC"

his science (for this matter is reduced to science
science being an art acquired by precepts,) is a
very interesting and important one and much ne
elected. Half of us think we have no music in
our souls" and are as bad readers as the amiable
bride in the Day after the Wedding" And as for
oratory there is scarcely one in fifty thousand who
can speak an address with rhetorical accuracy; and
there is not ten of habitual public speakers
whodelvers floerably or even sensiby. Many
devout persons of Christian congregation often
times led into entire misconcepion OF the mean
ing Of scripture by the preachers bad reading; and
we have heard, the most beautiful passages OF an
author innocently transformed into a ridiculous
caricanre by persons, who, although they may have
studied Murray's Grammar and Blair's Rhetoric,
seem never to have once remembered praclicalythat
there was such art as speaking correctly in exiS
tence. Now the principles by which correct elocu-
ton and even music may be acquired form science,
as definite and certain as geometry. Some persons,
who like hear music, suppose they have no natu-
raj talent TO make musicians, and therefore forego
all trial. Now this is mistake. Every body may
learn to sing whose natural vocal machinery is not
defective To make Malibran, Wooa, or even
Horn or a Russell, will require We must admit
beyond an acquisition Of the scientific principles,
considerable genius, or what the Yankees call
equal degree nor can all participate equally in the
par,ialites Of nature The science nevertheless can
be acquired by steps as clear and well defined the
grades of staircase, though not easy Of ascent.
And when one arrives at the top, The shall not pos
sess the intense enthusiasm of Paganini, yet he will
be able to make as much music as is necessary for
binary purposes although he may not be able to pull
up trees by the roo's as Orpheus did, or make fish
follow him as did Arion, or make floating islands
dance as Agrippa says they did in Lydia. Never
theess he will be able make enough of it, to feel
that zaa,siea est ctis medicinal mstG, and that says
an ancient author, is'"Mc excellent power music
hath -...
AS for Elocuion, we know its virtues by expert
ence We remember when taking lessons once
from Professor in New York, of repeating accord
ing to rule, his Satanic Majestys address to his
iegions, by Milton. From ordinary reader, per-
haps, this piece would produce no impression upon
the nearer We were not aware of its power until
this occasion When we had finished our delivery
we heard tremendous shout of applause and on
rushing to our window what surprize TO dis
cover that our elocution had collected an audience
in the street. three stories below, Of more than
hundred people, of character, however, that would
probably be reckoned among the "legions afore-
sale! We obigingly answered the call" for
second experiment, which had the same magical
effect as the FIRST eicing great applause, and ex-
citing the crowd below to all sorts OF uproarious
behavior and even the dogs broke out incontnently
into very alarming yeps the wolves Uetees inpos)
danced after the pipe of Hercules in former days
Under all these extraordinary circumstances, we
felt constrained to then put out the light and close
our shutters whereupon his Satanic Ma]esty's le-
gons" dispersed. .".
Mr. Bronson, Professor Of Execution, delivered an
Introductory lecture on the principles OF reading
speaking and singing, on Thursday evening, al
Carusi's Saloon. 1t was interesting and instructive.
He seems well acquainted with his subject, and with
the powers and mechanism Of the human voice, the
susceptibility of which he has certainly apundan'y
illustrated in his own case. He shows by adtagram
called tho diatonic scale the distinct gradations OF
sound from an earthquake to the filing OF saw;
shows how ventroquism is acquired and that ne Is,
and that all may become ventriloquists he rcches
select pieces,of prose and poetry with 'nrilng Ell
feet He is not a mimic nor does ne teach MS
pupils to initiate and therein his system is an I'M
provement upon that Of any other we have known.
RE aims to cultivate and command the voice, ana
leaves the pupil TO feeling and nature, which is cal
cplated 10 have such an excellent effect upon the
supid defamation OF the schools and the insensipe
whining Of the pulpit, that we cannot heip COM
mending the method. We hope all clergymen, ana
such as would be public speakers as they regard the
sensibli,ies of such humble hearers as ourselves
will not only attend the lectures but go into Ae class
,s How long did Cicero study the art OF eloculion'
and to what pains and expense did he not got How
did Demoslhenes labor at the shore and upon Inc
hill sides4 etour pretenders as though they were
born OF Minerva, or expected TO become DePhian
oracles intui,ively disdain the study which true
science demands, and turn out vapid and swoin
style, as senscless as it is disgusting
| Mr. Bronson contempla,es delivering two or three