Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-03-07
IRON HON. L. J. PHELPS.

BURLINGTON, March I'd, 1877.
GENTLEMEN II greatly regret that absence from
home will prevent my acceptance OF your invitation
to attend the meeting at the Howard Opera House,
this evening. am sure II Will he gratifying TO
citizens to be enabled to give public expression
to their appreciation Of the qualities 0! the Opera
House. anu the generosity Of its protector.
The one greatest public need Of Burlington was
an adequate Music Hall. With an audience quail
lied to enjoy and ready to pay for the highest
and best entertainments, they have been in great
measure excluded from our city for lack of place
where they could be properly presented or comiorta
bly, heard. The want is now completely and al
mirably supplied. Tn this point 1t to me
there csn be no d difference OF opinion.
The construction Of such building in respect Of
Its acoustic properties, is always more or less
matter Of experiment. The utmost solcitude, and
Il the scientific knowledge that thus far exists,
not Alway found TO command success, however they
may deserve il. The subter laws OF sound yet re-
main TO be discovered. We have therefore especial
ly to congratulate Mr. Howard and his architect
well as ourselves, on the almost perfect acoustics
attained IN this instance. 1t was, believe, the
unanimous opinion of the lar 20 audiences who at
tended the delightful performances of last week,
that the music was heard in all parts OF tho house
To the very best advantage. And when in addition
to this cardinal excellence, consider the beauty
and cheeriulness Of the auditorium, its great
yenience safety and comfort. a capacity that Is
large without seeming 10 he dreary, and in which
four ifths OF the seats almost equally desirable,
1t Is not too much to say that it has been rarely
equaled and never excelled by any music hall Of
the same size in this country.
II will be an aided pleasure that this beautiful
gilt Is associated with name hOnored in Bur
lington for more than one generation that of
HOWARD. All Will doubtless cordially join IN the
wish that the siyer may long live 10 witness the
satisfaction he has afforded to the people OF hts Old
time home
II the Howard Opera House were only place OF
amusement, II II only contributed II ''thc common
stock OF harmless pleasure" II would he posses
sion to be valued. But II should be much more
than this. II ought to becOm" one of our means Of
education available To all clastcs and yes alike.
II should take IT'S place with the college AMI the
school, the public library and the Art gallery,
one aud no. the least Oi the sources of popular in
stfucton and refinement. But to this end, it needs
not only To be- built, but to be appropriately Oc-
cupirl. The associations and memories Of the
plac" should Ice kept clean, as we'll as the building
itself. All low and common performances, all eN-
hibltiOns that instruct the wrong way, and debasc
instead Of rleNatlng the public taste, should he
vigorously excluded Let them seek another home
# they must hay" n home among AT ali. And
let keep this place sacred To occasions the first
cHss. and especially, its name implies, to music
the most exquisite OF the line arts the Unrest of all
the humHnItes
With the hope that your meeting may bee full IN
attendance and cordial in expression,
remain, very truly yours,
luEa.