Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-04-08
IFrom the BroOkly UaioH.l
Mr.. Watts on the Boston Organ

Mr. Watts on the Boston Organ.
In my last, promised 70 give to the world my
idea Of its new pivot, the Great Organ Of Boston
Boston IS the capital Of New England, and re-
ceived its name from the Indian word Bosting-
pronounced with the long. The word had lit
lie or no significance, and the difficulty Of ascer-
tanning how it ever came to be applicable to the
town i 50 great that drop the subject
In the static centre Of creation there Is gentesi
vacuum, called the Music Hall. Its not far from
the Common, n circumstance which REFUNDS me
Of everything else in Boston. Now Nature dis
approves Of a vacuum, and 90 the Music Hall
vas 6lici first by Mr. Parker and Afterwards by
Mr. Philips This arrangement not being satis-
factory to the universe, Mr. Upham. having tri-
umphantly finished the Typhus Fever, the Con-
gestive ditto. the Circulation OF VI. GrOux, aud
other musical enterprises, (tor an account o.
which see an article in the Atlantic -hoHfiig,
which DR.. Holmes wrote. with few hints from
me, conceived the idea Of placing AZ the Point
of Cosmic Equilibrium, machine in every way
worthy Of the situation This machiuc, which
never did nor vii have its mate, il Is necessary
for ne 10 depict under three heals: The
Inside. the Outside, and the Boston Part. The
first two may have been excellei, It i the
Boston Part whcih i inimitable and unique
The Inside L grand, gloomy and peculiar.
Leaving the nurse to trundle the baby by the
Frog-POnd, susan and penetrated the Organic
realm She SAID it was dark and dusty, and
didn't smell as pleasantly as she could wish.
's Nv dear ! replied with grave and eminent
good sense, your eyes and nose prejudice you
Never allow one organ TO SIT in Judgment on
another"
While we we're IN the Inmost recesses Of the
instrument, admiring its unparalleled lines, It's
srial vistas and the tender solicitude with which
its comfort was consulted-a pipe being prOvid-
ed for every one Of It's unreasouably numerous
mouths-an amateur performer. ignorant Of our
whereabouts, began to perform Now. amateurs
always try the full organ at once, TO see how far
they can 70 in the direction Of noise Then they
proceed to experiment with the new stOps-the
Nox Humans. the Vox Angelica, the Nox POpu-
Ii, the Vox ct Prsterea Mill, and others The
first blast Of the full organ blew ont our light,
and obliged US to remain where We were for
Susan would not consent to wander in the dark
in such a dangerous place She was afraid we
might wander into the Diapason and get blown
Up chimney We had therefore capital oppor-
tunity, and one that will never return again, or
can help it) TO listen TO the celebrated Organ.
The first thing was a waltz on the Full Organ,
the magnificent effect Of which have no words
TO describe. Il was not like anything had
ever heard, and so | adopt the metaphor Of DR..
Holmes, who says it resembles billows tumbling
through ocean caverns While listening to it
with inexpressible delight. and a sensation like
that of riding on locomotive, | found that my
nose was bleeding The sublime effect of Mont
Blanc is somewhat similar, | am told. Susan
was unable to get over the first bar Of the waltz
without fainting away. Perhaps It was tortu-
nate for US that the Amateur, rather frightened
at his own performance, hastened to the Vox
u e,,~, -.Ft 1fy
into the mild psthos Of " Days Of Absence -
He played the melody by itself on the highest
Octave, to get the full angelic effect Susan re-
covered from her swoon. and being told where
she was, and that the voices Of angels sounded
ike that energeticslly declared that she "didn' I
want to 20 to heaven then" | reproved her
with dignity " My love, you should not criti-
else 50 severely the voices Of the angels. Re
member they are obliged to sing all the time. I"
Just then the plaintiye melody gave symptoms
Of approaching change The Amateur held on
one note a good while with his left hand, while
be found proper stop with his right. Then the
Vox Angelica gave out suddenly, and another
voice took up another tune. The effect was fine;
as when one sings q Days of A-s-a-b-this cruel
war is over - Amateurs make these transition:
| very neatly.
What's that ," said Susan. | was not sure
that knew, but answered without hesitation 5
- That, my dear, Is the Vox Diptheria, great
I improvement on the Humans, and the peculiar
| treasure Of the Boston Organ" Subsequent
| inquiries showed me that my conjecture was
/ correct. At this instant, however, felt a cold
| chill upon my back, and soon found it TO pro-
1 ceed from one Of the pipes of the Vox Diphthe-
ria, which was gently injecting a small stream
I Of icy air along my spinal column, from the
neck down With great presence Of mind, |
/ placed my hand over the aperture, checking the
/ draught. The Amateur was about TO trill on
| that very note With infinite horror he found
that il did not reply TO his trIlling touch In
/ CONSERVATION he rushed from the hall, leaving
| the doors open. The sound Of great tumul'
was heard outside. could even distinguish the
voices Of nevsboys crying the Extra Trans
| ertpf-Terrible Organ Accident - Steps were
heard hurrying in the direction of Fsneuil Hall.
Bells we're ringing, and militia gathering at
every available spot-chiefy, of course, on the
Common. At last the measured steps of armed
men were heard. and the Chief of Police, sc-
companied by Governor Andrew on one hand,
Ticknor s Fields on the other, and q squad Of
fifty in the rear. poked bis head into the Organ.
Susan whispered to me that they would hang u.
and thought IT not unlikely. for the Governor
looked very stern.
As they approached, therefore, we retreated
among the pipes. and finally succeeded in get
ting out of the Organ by the aid of their lights
leaving them still inside brilliant idea now
struck me. With the aid Of Susan pulled out
all the stops. set the bellows going, and sal
do,cR on the Key Board. The entire gamut Of
Natures multitudinous voices found utterancs