Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1856-01-22

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become tolersble; jus, as has the use Of
tobscco or ardent spirits. And, while
upon this head, | would earnestly recon.
mend 10 the friends Of reform 10 our IA.
vored country 10 establish an '.Anli.
mad. music Society,"" 10 order to sup.
press, il possible, the cruelties OF our
modern musical entertainment.
II tho instrumental music Of France
and Italy be bad, their vocal music 10,
| II possible, thousand times worse.-
Neither the English nor the Georgia
language furnishes me with o term OK.
Pressive Of the horrors OF French or
Italian song, as it is sgonized forth by
one OF its prolessed singers. The law
should make it jus,i6abIe homicide in
any man 10 kill an Italian in the very
act Of inlic,ing an il psnseroso upon .
refined American ear.
And yet, with all the other European
denominations which have crept into our
highly.favored country, the French and
Italian style Of singing ond playing has
made its way hither; and il is not un.
common TO hear our boarding. school
misses piping away, not merely in the
style, but in the very language Of these
nations. This | con bear very we'll il
there happen to be Frenchman or on
Italian present, because | know that he
suffers more from the words than | do
from the music; for confess that upon
such occasions feel something OF the
savage malignity which visits the sins OF
a nation upon any Of its citizens. But
it most frequently happens tha. am pu,
TO the tortures Of which have been
speaking without this mitigation. 1t was
thus with me few evenings sgo, at Mrs.
BE- party.
Tea had been disposed Of, and the
nonsensical chi..chst Of such occasions
had begun TO flag. when invited Miss
Mary Williams to the piano. She rose
promptly at my request, without any af
fected airs, and with no other apology
than that "she felt some Jiflidence ut
playing in the presence Of Miss Crump."
The piano was an admirabls one, and
its tones were exquisi.ely fine. Mary
seated herself at it, and, after short but
beautiful prelude, she commenced one
of Burns plain.ive songs, to a tune
which was new 10 me, but which was
obviously from the poets own land, and
by one who folt the inspiration Of his
verse. The composer and the poet were
both honored by the performer. Mary's
voice was inimi,ably fine. Her enunci.
alton was clear and distinct, with just
emphasis enough 10 give The verse its
appropriate expression, without inter.
rupting the melody Of the music; and her
modula,ions we're perfect.
She had closed, and was in the oct Of
rising, before swoke from the delight.
ful revsry into which she had lulIed me.
l arrested her, however, and insisted up.
on her proceeding, when she gave me
one Of Allan Ramsey's best, 10 measure
equally appropriate. This she followed
with 'rannahill's" Gloomy Winters now
aws," and was again retiring. when my
friend Hall observed, "See, Miss Mary,
you've brought tear to Mr.. Baldwin's
eve, and you must not cease till you
chase it away with some lively air..
My friend was right. The touching
pa,hos Of Mary's voice, conspiring with
q train Of reflections which the song in.
spired, had really brought me to tears.
l thought Of poor TsnnahiIl's fate. He
was the victim Of book sellers stupidi.
". With men Of taste and letters, his
fugitive pieces, Particu cularIy his lyrics,
had gained him well.deserved repu,a.
,ion; but he was not exempt from the
common lot Of authors. He was attack.
ed by the ignorant and the invidious;
and, with the hopeless design Of silenc.
ing these, he prepared volume or more
Of his poems with great care, and sent
them 10 bookseller for publication.
After the lapse OF several weeks, they
were returned without compliment, or
an offer for them. The modification and
disappointment were to severe for his
Ii deserted him, and soon after
he was found dead in tunnel Of the burn
which had been the scene Of one Of his
earliest songs. Unfortunately, in his
msdness he destroyed his favorite works.
Such was the train Of reflection from
which Mary was kind enough, "a, the re.
quest Of my friend, 10 relieve me by al
lively Irish sir.e Had tnot been ad.
selected, | could hardly have
borne the transition. But there was
enough Of sohenins melody, mingled
with the sprightliness Of the air, to lead
me gently TO eayer mood, in which she
left me. 1912 gYs
:! In the meantime, most Of the young
ladies' and gentlemen had formed cir.
Gle round Miss Aurelia Emma Thsodo.
sia Augusta Crump, and were earnestly
engaged in pressing her to play. One
young lady even went so fat as 10 dropl
on her knees before her, and ia this pos.
turs 10 besesch "her dear Augusta Just
10 play the delightful overture o."
something that atsounded 10 me like" Blaze
in the trets."3 This petition was urged
with snch melting sweetness Of voice,i
such i bewi,ching leef atthe gentlemen, |
nnd such q atheatric heave ofsthe bosom,
that II threw the young gentlemen into
Hall was rude enough to
whisper in mine ear, ''thst hs thoughtit
indeiicste to expose an unmantled bo.
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