Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-14
Orr Rnsrnn Letter.
RosroN. April Z, 1870.

musicians anu Gle u ''NN~ -
bnt more than the usual number of miscei-
laneous concerts by resident professionals
The Howard Musical Association Concerts
which were an exception to the rest, have
taken place Thursday afternoons, IN which
a large orchestra under thelead of Zerrahn
has given the most classical, pure and re-
fined music. 1t is not that style the most
pleasing to that great body of the people
who are obliged to work most of the hours
of every working day; and, indeed, If it
fitted their tastes, this portion OF the peo-
pie could not be gratifed that time OF
day.
Mr.. Thomas of New York, is here at
present giving some concerts with his
brilliant orchestra, and more popular style
of music Mr.. Thomas is German, but
Younger man than our best leader. The
music that he gives conflicts somewhat
with the taste of some of those who have
been welded to the strict and correct,
precise or classical style that has prevailed
for many years in this city.
In connection with this subject of con-
certs and music, Mr.. Dwight of the Jour-
nal of Music of this city, at one OF the
Sunday Horticultural Hall lectures, upon
his subject of music" had very little to
saw about practical music, and good deal
about its place and influence in our men
tai and moral constitutions. He went
deep into ethics, esthetics, worship and
praise in so wide a sense that he had moth
ing to say abont the wants, necessities, de-
mands, or the important fact of music in
church service. He spoke of the sublime
effects and exalted character of the music
of certain German composers, well known
to the world. After talk of ant hour there
was produced the usual sense of WEAKNESS
that is experienced by listeners at most
of these lectures, coming from the effort
required to sift the thoughts of common
sense from the much sentiment that
abounds. The whole was too ideal. lofty
and classical" to be of any practical
worth; and any practical philanthropist
present might reasonably have been i'm
patient at the waste of time and words
while so many discordant sounds of dis
tress were, at that hour, coming up from
the abodes of the poor in all parts OF the
city, that mere fine talk aboat music, nc
more than tracts, alone will reach.
Lectures have as general thing ceased
but there are few still going on here
and there. At the Lowell Institute there
is a course on China by Prof. Albert S
Bickmore. who has travelled extensively
in that country and is familiar with their
language, customs and their arts. There
has Just closed twelve lectures at this
place by members of the American Social
Science Association. These lectures have
been unusually good, and are to be pub
lished, being the best thoughts of well
known leading men on the special sub
iects to which their tastes, professions OF
circumstances have directed them. Mr.
Gedkin, of the New York Nation, attempt
ed to make it understood how much the
science of legislation is behind our age
Dr. Geo. Derby, of this city, astonished
us by making known how much impure
air the most of us breathe, and how i'm
portant sanitary measures are to the gen
eral health.
Prof. Pierce, by his subject, "The Coast
Survey" attempted to make us compre'
bend some of the,process of such survey
By "triangulation" on the land in, from
the coast, of from fifty to one hundred
miles, where, from different mountains
and elevations, from thirty to one hundred
miles apart, by means of telescopes, COM
passes, telegraphs and astronomical obser.
vations, the exact latitude and longitude
Of each place is gained, and made to bear
upon the main object-the coast line
which is accurately fixed on charts. Prof
Pierce made the prediction that this tri
angulation, or "Geodetio" survey would
eventually have to be extended over the
whole country, as affecting State bound
cries, railroad and other engineering
enterprises of the future. This triangu-
lation would be carried down the
Aleghany Mountains on the Atlantic side
and finally to the Rocky Mountains in
the west Here it may be said that the
coast survey eff England, after eighty.
seven years of labor, has just been com
pleted, but is imperfect from imperfect
methods pursued.
Mr. d. D. Field of New York, upon the
subject of the Representation of Minor
ities," or rather imperfect representation
of our whole people, made the absurdities
of our present practice of caucus nomina
tions very distinctly to appear and how
unequal the representation of the people
when by mere majority or plurality one
party may be represented for years in
Congress, and the others not at all. The
anti slavery party of Massachusetts was in
existence nearly twenty years before they
could, under our present system, have re-
presentation in Congress, although the
sum total of the individuals would have
entitled them to several, much sooner
than they gained them. While we had nc
pet scheme of reform to urge, he present.
ed six plans which were practiced or had
been to some extent in England, Switzer
land and other countries. 1t was not ne
cessary for this lecturer to say that there
must be a change for the better sooner OF
later, for that is becoming evident to all
And this, as well as a reform in Office
tenure, is well before the attention of this
Association. b.
MARTYRS MONUMENT IN SMITHFIELD
On the 18th of March large number
of people assembled in Smithfeld, London
at the unwilling of monument erected
to the memory of the martyrs who suffered
on that spot in the reign of Queen Mary
The monument is an elaborate structure
of red and gray granite, with ornamental
work in bronze, and bearing the inscrip