Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-02-04
Merchant OF Tenice

teJ no such man De trusted
Merchant Of Venice.
What is that which strikes a chord in
our niture, making US feel something
above this earth changing the current
of our thoughts from JOY to sadness, from
sadness to JOY? Strike the harp of sor-
row, aud it carries US back to far of
scenes. and we live over again the days
which drew tears of sorrow down our
checks Strike the harp of pleasure, and
our hearts bound TO the chord, AMI we
are again enraptured by joys which nave
grown old IN their remembrance.
" hat is that which changes nature for
time, tanning the savage, soothing our
rage, bending us to its will This Is
Music
What IS music Some have attempt
ed to define it. The usual defni ton is,
that 1t is the concord of sound, but this
think falls far short of it's true meaning
What would the world be without music?
Silence Every sound that reaches the
ear Is music. No matter how pleasant or
dlscordant it may seem, it can have an
y
scale. Every sound Is music. The ter
ror of the thunder is the grandest music
known: the boom of the death dealing
cannon makes music while it sllys the
song Of a bird is music the voice of man,
how often are we enraptured by the
sweetness of voice Even the most
.discordant sounds which CRATE upon our
ears would, fproperly applied, term sweet
music
Pythagoras asserted g that the world
is made according to musical proportions;
and that the seven planets between hea-
ven and earth. which govern the natiyi-
ties OF mortals. have harmonious motion,
and render various sounds according to
their several heights so consonant, that
they make most sweet melody, but TO US
Inaudible, because ofshe greatness OF the
noise. winch the narrow passage of our
ears is not capable to receive. This
idea has been received also by q" Fancy ;
Child with 50 little change, that we
might consider it, almost = gross plagi-
arlSm.
There IS not ths smaIe.; og5 which thoa -
hold ~t
But u his motion ike aneel sings.
Suil quiriuL 10 the ysung-ey d Cherupns
Such harmony Is IN immortal sou,s
But whist thus muddy GESTURE ct decay
post grossly close US il csunot hear IL -
The sound Of the bell is music, which
can wake our nature to any emotion -
Listen to the joyfrl sound as they call Us
to the weddiug the nlerry sounds OF the
sleigh bells with their - Jingle, jingle.
jingle. telling US Of happy hearts the
sad sound Of the funeral bell telling Us ot
. death and hopes departed the solemn
sound Of the cathedral bell, reminding US
Of God and our souls; and the fr,gh,ful
! sound Of the tocsiD, s. it fell upon the
ears of the victims of kobesPiers, or As it
tells us Of city in flames
That which is generally termed music
is all the sounds Of :l:e universe brought
in,y connection which produces harmo-
ny. This has been done by discovery
saat all sounds are embraced in seven
notes Wac made this discovery has not
been correctly settled Some attribute
It 10 Pythagoras, who hearing black
smith strike upon lis anvil, conceived
this idea Of arranging sound Truly it
was wonderful discovery.
The ancicnts were sreater admirers Of
music taan We are OF the present da<.-
Their history mas reached Us embalmeL
IL song, Homer sung his immortality =
Apollo raised the walls of Troy i, IN
sound q his harp, aud OrpAeus m4l>
tr5es trip it Il his measure.
CO. e-l ;ts seal oF O-ph.us .;rr
Sue notes, aS warhled 10 the string
Drew iron ieiTs down Pluto chelk
And msde heii grant y hat .oys did SEEK. -
The songs of the Syrens, who as they
sung, would take the prison'd soul. snd
lap IL Elyslsm lured the mariners to
the rocks and ther destruction. The
sAreet melody Of ruin
These fables serve to show the venera-
.l2n Of the ancients for this sublime art.
All scAaowledge the influence of ma