Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-12-03


A baratone is william Of cut-throat vis-
ago and massive muscles, who pcrseeutes
the unhappy couple aforesaid.
a basso profundo i either n william Of
moro cjnsummats rascality, or n servant Of
low but humorous cunning. or soldier Of
deep lungs and strict morality, just rs the
composer may deem eIpcdien..
A cop,ralto is either n peasan, girl who
knows everything. ora page Of tempting
appearance. whose business IL is IN DO as
little rs possible for the benef, Of socicty,
and a. much as possible in the way Of mis-
chief.
The chorus i.a collection Of very ugly
hut quite harmless persons Of both sexes,
who are alternately DETECTED and delighted,
as the principal characters are .ad or mer.
~, and who manifest their emotions by n
small number Of chords and a large number
OF disc1rd.. They Also incidsntly explain
such portion. Of the plot and action Of tho
opera a, would otherwise be cntitely incom.
prehen'ihle.
In the meantime the orchestra play tho
part Of commentators with uncommon kill.
I. tho soprano weary Of the world7 The
flutes and hau,boys sob and sigh. Il the
tenor gradually arriving at tho conclusion
that this world i.a Sahara with but one
oasis-or that no has no, loved the world
nor the world him. The yiOlins and cor
nets wall and pout with melodious woe.
ID - the con,ralto take pleasure in inform
ing her stalwart prosecutor that be has
jus, burned his own brother! The violin.
celos and trombonos unite TO express the
astonishment Of the bereavel party. Il the
muscular william preparing 10 make all good
angel, weep The ophecleides and double
and eon,ra.ba'sss, give notice Of bis diabol-
zeal designs by groans and hisses, and ours.
cs deep and loud. l. confusion, moral and
social, prevalent upon tho seene' The en-
tire force Of the Instrumentation is employ
ell TO give the hearer lively idea Of the
wreck OF matter. and the crush OF worlds,
and chaos come again.
Thus. o Abel Ben lIassan, you SEQ with
what natural and pleasing pictures Of hu-
man existence the Americans are wont 10 re-
gale themselves at the corner OF Fourteenth
street and IVriDg place.
The opera which bad the pleasure to
see /. called " The Huguenoi'," and the
principal incident is tho massacre Of one
sect OF Christians by another. one Of the
COMMITTEES VA, good enough to explain to
inc tho plot, and to give me an interesting
aketch OF the origin and progrcrs OF the re'
ligion OF his connlry. From his remarks |
gathered that it is founded on q surprising
~ simple, ye, to me. novel principle, name
ly, persecution" The central spring Is the
doctrine that " the blood Of the martyrs Is
the seed Of the church :" and tho more.
therefore, you prosecute sincere believes
or sincere unbelievers, the more they will
increase, and thus the more will sincerity,
honesty and conseientiousness flourish.
Thus the orthodox church people Of the
first century prosecuted aud finally killed
the founder Of Christianity. In conse-
quence Of their e1er,iOns his followers IN
creased in an astonishing manner, 80 much
90 that they were soon powerful enough to
prosecute one another, TO tho great addition
al increase and edifcation Of the prosecuted
The Latin church prosecuted the Greek
church aud the Greek church prosecuted the
Latin church, and each waxed more power
ful in consequence; The Arians prosecuted
the Trinitarians, aud the Trinl,arian. retur-
ned the compliment. Later still the Cath
olics burned John liuss, aud then Protcs-
tant Calvin retOried 10y roasting D'Serve-
tus.
A little later. the Ihquisition in Spain.
and the friends Of Catherine de Mcdieis in
France continued tho good work and, lat
er yet, the Episcopal Church Of England
dragOoned to death the Coyenanters OF Scot
land. The puritan Fathers were prosecuted
from England to Holland. and from Holland
to America, and then replied by prosecuting
tho Quakers and Bapti.,s from Boston to
Roxbury, and from Roxbury to Rhode Is
land. Al this day even. am told that in
the Park Street Church, in Boston, mum.
Der Of worthy men are won't to pray that
divine Of of different views may either b,
made to adopt their own sentiments. or else
DO removed to the other world; or IN other
words, that ALLAH will play tho part OF
prosecutor. which the unfortunate laws
that prevail at present 10 the commonwealth
of Massachusetts, proven, them from as'u-
ming.
When consider, my dear Abel Ben Has
san, that among the early traditional doc
trines Of the Christian church. love 10 God
and man. freedom Of thought, tho brother
hood and equality Of humanity, and the
Golden Rule are somewhat prominent, /
must confess that this little sketch Of my