Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-07-30

actcr: the first heatliful and copious shower,
as it were to improve the resonant qualities of
the atmosphere for the last, a flood - of llar-
+ mony in truth very Song of Angels" fit
| for the "bura of Mrs. Judson,'' and worthy
/ "To Live Forever
1t was an agreeable surprise to the lovers of
music to witness the deep interest with which
a large audience, composed of the bon tom
} (anglice, upper ten thousand) awaited the hour
of commencement. They evidently expected
something ! the quantity whereof was before
them, albeit the programme was silent as to its
quality.
The importance of proper cultivation of
music, the elder of the Truno Godesses OF the
more cnnobling sensbities of human nature.
is, unfortunately, but little known, and less
properly Appreciated among us. The rapidly
increasing size of our village-thc iocale Of va
rious seminarcs of learning of both sexes; and
the enchantngy beautiful scenery which en-
compass it, should long since have originated
design like this Of the I" Burlington Handel and
Haydn Society" Does not severe study demand
a relaxation what harmless as music 81
Does not the endless panorama of natures beau
ties, the ever-varying view of land and water,
induce to love and sentiment What so charm
ing an adjunct as music? In this busy busting
! age, among this busy busting, thriving people,
the want of attention to refined taste for the
Fine Arts--for all ideal creations, whether in
, Poetry or Music, Sculpture, Painting, or ArclIi-
lecture is justly said to be ono OF our most char
acterislic and cherished faults. The ancients.
5 those b!ood-thirs,y, savage, ignorant people, in
comparison with ourselves, (as some will have
; it, far surpassed us in this particular, however
paradoxica it may appear. The judicious Poly
{ bus informs us, that music was necessary to
: soften the manners Of the Arcadans. who lived
in cold, gloomy country: that the inhabitants
of Cyncte, who sighted music, were the most
D cruel oil all the Greeks and that no other town
, was so Immersed in luxury and dcbauch Mon
!, tcsquleu states that Aristotle, who seems to
. have written his Politics only in order to contra
d dict Plato, agrees with him, notwithstanding. in
y regard to the power and influence of music over
the manners of the people This was the opin-
ion likewise Of Thcophrastus. of plutarch, and
d of all the ancents; an opinion grounded on ma
T. ture reflection, being one Of the principles of
,. their philosophy.
o Plato says, in his fourth book FLAWS, that the
d prHfcctures of music and gymnastics are the
most important employmcnts in the city. Take
: heed of that, We leaders of the Burlington Han
,' del and Haydn Society"
8 Music reaches the mind through means Of the
" corporal organs. This is truism; vet it is a
l. kind Of medium between the bodily exercises
u that render men fierce and hardy, and the spccu.
N lativc sciences which render them unscciable
N and sour: It prevents too engrossinr brutality
l. in mans composition, and enables the soul to
E.. have such share in the education Us it could
never have without the assistance Of harmony
A. This it is that inspires with sense of pity len
ie ity, tenderness and love. In a word music was
he an essential part in the education of youth among
4 the anciens, but it was of a manly, simple and
majestic character, which had none of thai
IL eiicmnate RIGHTEOUSNESS too apt to find its wa,
r into more modern operate performances.
" We are not an admirer of the taste of the Ro
to mans in this particular who left to their slave.
re an art held in such high estimation by the Gre
50 Clans. And we should be sorry to adduce the
It, hddIins Nero,as specimen of the power of mu
nj sic 10 sooth the passions and regulate the hear
= and temper. Yet he Acknowledged its rowc
., when he sought, by personal application of it
to divert his rc,inue from the sight Of his burn
e. ing capital.
lie Plato also expresses four kinds of mania b,
which term he desires to explain enthusiasm
and the inspiration of tho gods. First. musical
'e secondly, the telestc mystic; thirdly. The
ne prophetic and fourthly, that which belongs t,
of love. Whether the scriptural rule that the tirs
y shall be last, and rice rersa applies in this case
'd we are unable to determine. According to our
- author, however, love and harmony if they dc
W not, ought To-, 80 together.
l. We must not be understood as advocating the
a preference of this agreeable accomplishment e
You'd all others, Mlott in his elements of his.
~ tory, has some opposite remarks on this point
t; where, after approving the cultivation of the
IN Fine Arts he says But when they are pre-
10 ferred to all others; when they swallow up the
" rewards due to essential services -" when
he there is such value set upon them as to make
>" every thing else be looked upon with dsdain
IL then we are free to admit morals, principles
!, laws and government are threatened with a
is total overthrow" These truths need no other
he confirmation than the well known state of mod
a ern Italy.
We We have no serious apprehensions, however
e. that such fate is reserved for our utariar
OF community: therefore should we happily have
be- contributed to the cultivation of so delightful
he and innocent an amusement among ourselves
an by these remarks hastily thrown together, VT
IS may rccur to the subject again on some future
occasion. Meantime let us offer little criii{u,
nd upon 1.-The first appearance on any stage" of the
he Burlington Handel and Haydn Society"
e. When we reflect that it is but three shor
by months since the institution of this Society, We
,s il were surprised at their proficiency, in common
d. with all who heard their performance Blu
!" much is wanting that can readily be supplied by
a little simple care, and without any additiona
e., H. ;ns,,n,, so,,,l 81,