Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-09-01
oxford. Cambridge. and Music.

As regards music, the story of her
connection with either university can
only be described as one of shame and
of pain. In the old Catholic days foun-
ders left funds TO provide for a musical
staff in their college chapels. Hence,
as the art progressed set of resident
musicians was congregated; and, music
seeming to flourish on academic soil.
King James i. granted Faculties in that
art, constituting the universities, in
effect, public examining boards. Alas,
however, for poor st. Ceciliai The
governing bodies of the colleges filched
away in large Jumps the stipends as
signed by pious founders for the sup
port of musicians. The artists them
selves were not only robbed, but tram
pied upon-consignedt to social ostracism
insulted. At Oxford-and this, too, in
the reign of Queen Nictoria-the Doc
tors ofMusic were ignominiOusly turned
out of their seats in the theatre at Com
memoration, while the very degrees
were tampered with by ignorant, un-
sympathetic, and reckless Jacks in
Office. These are assertions. Out of
the multiplicity of proofs ready to hand
it viii not be difficult to justify them.
Some two centuries back, in the bonnie
days of the Merry Monarch, when
beauty was beginning to emerge from
the black veil of Puritanism which for
the nonce had stified her, one DIR. Ben
jamin Rogers was organist of Magdalen
College, Oxford. This man was not
merely an executant, but also a COM
poser of rare merit for the age in which
he lived. He may rank fairly between
lrla nd Ilr lHrin
strains still resound in our cathedrals,
from Exeter TO Carlisle, from Norwich
to Bangor. His history may be easily
summarized-as concisely, in. effect, as
that of many another injured soul. He
was illegally elected from his small
preferment, because-and the cause it
self is significant of the small esteem in
which music was then held-his pretty
daughter had the hardihoOd to flirt with
a gentleman commOner of the college.
Having been thus deprived of subsist-
ence, the poor artist left Oxford, and
shortly afterward died in extreme in
digence. Than history so sad as this
nothing can read simpler, and it would
seem but righteous 10 condemn the
high-handed oppression and cold heart
lessness which could thus hurry an
artist of eminence to starvation. The
universities, however, remain I'M
changed. A similar spirit to that
which animated the fellows of Magda-
len in the days of Charles III. prevails
generally up to the present hour.
Enough to state that Sterndale Bennett,
the friend of Mendelssohn, the one
English composer who has succeeded in
enrapturing, by the force of a splendid
genius, nations more asthetically ap-
preciative than ourselves, received from
the great and niggardly University of
Cambridge, for shedding lustre on her
net very brilliant professoriate, the pitt
ful stipend of fl00 per annum-a sum
which would not have been offered
without a blush to a college under
butler or an assistant cook. Nor does
Cambridge lack a rival in supreme
parsimOny. The same stipend was the
price at which the professorial services
of Sir Henry Bishop were assessed by
Oxford. The same stipend is all, out
of an endowment of f400, 200 per annum,
she can spare to Sir Henry's successor;
Sir +. A. G. Ousely, whose zeal and
self-sacrifice for art are only paralleled
by his profound knowledge and unques-
tionable talent.-Belqrdrid.