The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-28
Musir Department.
For the Primer and Mechanic
~ L Esic.--Practical, Critical and
Progressive.
CONTINUED PROM LAST WEEK.

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
The Rev DR. Dewey said: No cho-a
of music ever touched any evil passion
He had heard Of. but never listened IL
any music that could. with p.oprirtt
be called voluptuous. Words welded
to music often are. hut melody-Herer.
All sweet sounds bear the soul mp into
the world OF pure moral feeling an
sense hence music j. the nohieSt min
ister to re igion. would have mueie
,ceU taught in every family. a, woull
establish the family altar"
The Rev. DR. Burncv said The al
OF music, whose power has Teen a.-
knowledeed in terms OF uumca~urc
praise, by the most profound thinkers
Of all age>. i Of later fnH growth than
her sisters poetry. painting and eculr-
ture and it, means of communicative
ideas are less positive and direct; but
the principles which govern it, manifes-
tations are strictly analogous and we
recognise in its very vag'IcnesS that
yearning after the ntnit.. - that feeling
Tor inetiable lovelne>s. VI ich. dcfyin
by the electrical rapiditv of it> action
upon the mind.-the slow deductions 81
reason and all hunaL powers Of analv-
sis. approaches the divine IN its bright
mystery and ineNp!icable influence upon
our sentim. nts and emotions
A majority pay homage To muse all
must admit; and that only She can link
natures together whom notl ING else can
unite. This art is tie only common
platform on which all can stand and
traternze The most opposite char
acters in History worshipped her
If the great Augustus was made
better by her, 50 was Nero made
less vile. The good Alfred loved her
so did Henry VIII. The same of Eliza
beth of England and Cathrine of Russia
Indeed there is no end to such notable
contrasts. | will present only one
more: Luther declared music to be ''the
most magnificent present God has given
to mankind - while Mirahcau said
II .eL me die amid sounds of sweet mu-
sic" | must offer two more contrasts
first of Richter the humane, and Bona
parte the despot. The former said
''Childhood comes back when we hear
fine music; and speaks to us of hines
which we can never find in this world :
The latter said: "Of al the liberal arts.
emotions. and is that art To which the
law-inaker should give great attention."
The second is betwiXt DR.. Johnson. the
cynic. and Addison. tie amlable. The
former affected contempt for music
through most of his life. but took les
sons in it toward the close. Addison
said: 'Music is almost all we have oi
heaven on earth.
Aristides said: "Mnsic is calculated
to compose the mind and fit it for in
struction." Picus Mirandola said ::
Music produces like effects on the
mind as good medicine on the body" :"
Plato said: Music to the mind is a.
air to the body" Homer said: Music
was taught to Achilles III order to mod
crate his passions And yet music.
i'll every respect. was In its rudc>t.
crudest embyro state then!
The great poets have W sung the
praises of music with intense ie, ling and
eNhuberant love and what vast array
OF undying names rise up at the mere
suggestion! Milton, Shakespeare, Ber-
anger. Schiller. Hcine, Byron. Moore.
sc. Great Statesmcu, such as .Jef1er-
son, Franklin, D'I>raeli, Mctternich.
IDIpus 'ltti, dlI y liii'i. ~. bltitI tu-
rists. such as Lords X lmeS. Bacon and
Mansfield Curran. &c. Great Theolo-
yians. such rs Palry. Dwight. Clark
Bushnell. Wesley. Ma>sillon. Cumming.
&c. And Bishop Horne went so Tar a,
to say that the heart may he vcaued
from everything base and mean and cie
waited to everything excellent and praise
worthy by sacred music
The science of r,usic is profoundly
mathematical, while The art embode>
the most fertile creative powers aud
vivid imagination and the performance
of the musical artist and improvIsatorc
is held 10 strict account by both. and
also to that most taxing ordeal of think
ing with or against time. Small WON
der. then. that Euclid, Gallileo, kepler,
and the Herschels were fine mus clans.
There is common bond Of union be-
twixt them and such as Paeanin. List,
sc.
must stop, in fear of tahiug up too
much SPACE, and yet so little has been
said bit enough, | hope, to awaken
some interest in havn. music taught
properly and more generally.
Respectfully. W. III. NEAvE.