Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-11-07
From the Charleston Courier.
The Influence of Music.
BY MARTHA III. RUrT

but tones that seem too sweet for earth are
lingering round me, ard like my dreams
of the lays of angels ',ris the voice of
music, that sweet messenger of heaven,
who comes to cheer the hearts of weary
mortals. Sweet spirit of invisible form,
thy whisperings tell me thy mission is
joyful one; | look upon the mighty ocean,
lullcd to calm reposc, yet there is a gentle
murmuring, like the deep breathing of the
slumbcrcr, that tells of thy presence. The
playful Naiads welcome thee, and in their
pcarly grottos resound by the voice of their
songs to the whsperings of the waves and,
when the storm cloud rises darkly, thou
dost speak in the voice of thunder and the
dashing of wave upon wave; in the trick
ling of rain drops and the moaning of the
distant wind.
Music has an influence over human
hearts; the tyrant's adamantine nature is
melted by her presence; and when she lin
gers near him, he shrinks with horror from
deeds Of cruelty, aud sheathes the sword
just ready to be bathed in the blood of the
innocent victim. To the dcspairing, she
whispers happiness is child "a earth, still
lingering around him, and he imagincs it
phan as she mourns in her dcsolate home,
listens to some remembered song and Che
voice of melody restores the Joy of happier
years, the fathers love and the mothers
fond carcss Then, as the sweet voice of
music is lost to her senses, Il calm delight
rcigns within the breast of the sorrowing
girl.
The mission of music is not confined to
any land or station; she visits all, both
high and low, and her voice is heard from
the lordly palace to the hwnblest cot
When the young and gay arc assembled in
fashions brilliant halls, her richest tones
awaken love and JOY in their hearts, and
she bids them move on in unison through
the dance. When the brilliant crowd has
retired, and fair heads arc pilowcd meath
snowy curtains their rcposc is broken as
the voice of the screnadc arouses them
from their slumbcrs; they wake to bright
cr dreams than those that checred their
hours of sleep, for music brcathcs to them
her most powerful spell.
The soldier owns her influence as her
will leads him on to victory He hears her
tones in the clarion blast and his heart is
filed with spirit of fearless daring, and
his hand is strengthened for the fight =.
When the camp fires burn brightly, and
the foe is far away, pcrchance her gentle
tones fall upon the car; he forgets his rude
couch, and im0gincs himself in lordly
palace, surrounded by the lovclicst of the
land, and when the morning dawns he
again hears her voice in the notes of the
song bird, and his thoughts fly to his child
hoods home, where mothers prayer is
often brcGthcd, and a sister counts the ma
ny days of absence
Nor does music disdain to dwell in the
peasants lonely cot. She comes to him
through the murmuring of the streams, the
early notes of the lark, and the sweet voice
of children. AS he listens to these varied
melodies, they bid him be content with his
lot, and assure him he is happier far mid
these scenes than the monarch on his
throne surrounded by pcrils Night draws
her mantle around the cottage home, the
sky is lighted with burning sapphires, and
sweet Philomcl has commenced her songs :;
but music speaks in far swccter strains as
the evening hymn of the little band asccnds
to heaven. Again the same sweet tones
arise from the chamber where is one of the
youthful flock, List as she chants the
evening hymn of her maker, how swcctly
her voice asccnds, in harmonious strains
and blends, pcrchance in Heaven, with
the melody Of angel harps.
Music dwclleth in all the scenes of ma
ture's beauty. The breath of man fans
the tender flowers, and they raise their
dropping heads to listen to its music as it
moves on, perfume laden, on its way. She
speaks to us in the merry carol of the fcath-
cred songster; it falls swectly upon the
ear, and grccts the heart as we listen to its
thoughtlcss songs. Ere morning dawns,
they commence their favoritc themes, and
grove and forest arc filled with sweet mu-
sic. With a gently murmuring course the
ripplng stream speeds onwards, kissing
the rocks as they pass over them, and per-
chance an autumn leaf may lightly fall up
on its surface, adding another note to its
almost inoudible melody
Music is heard in the speakers voice.
The mothers tones arc always sweet in the
cars of an affcctionatc child, though she
even chide her faults Aye music is
heard in every tone of that cherished voice,
but is saddest and sweetest in the long re-
mcmbcrcd tones of mothers last words.
There is melody in poetry, even when un-
sung for thoughts of beauty arc clothed in
words that fall harmoniously upon the ear,
and it seems as if the spirit of music had
pluckcd the flowers of sentiment and kept
them alive by her reviyifying breath
But the holiest mission of music of this
blessed spirit is to lift the soul of man in