The morning call., 1892-09-25
NOTES By TIE WAY.
a Rambler'S Observations On
Things in General.
SAD EFFECT OF BAD MUSIC.
Pub isEe:s and Wiiters-When Should Chill
drsD Readi-A Welsh Name Gigsn-
tic Telescope.
written for the MoRSrNe GAIL

Written for the MORNING CALL
The awful effects of bad music, and es-
pecaliy cacOphonous pisnO-strummiDg, to
which attention was called IN this column
last week, are illustrated by a confession
made by George Augustus Sala. We all
know that he amable George went wrong
on tie North and South question. He came
out TO America as a correspondent, and be
espoused the cause Of Dixie's Land with a
warmth Of heart induced by the notion that
he was supporting freedom and molding
new nation into independence.
Bull Run" Russell had the same gener-
Gus but obiuscated conception of the situa-
ton, and supplied the Times with much
that pleased it by the column. Nearly all
England was Southern-that is to say, the
governing classes, the wealthy and the
privileged. and even that subseryient poliu-
cal trimmer, the Church OF England The
masses did not then enjoy the franchise aud
could not give effect to their opinions, and
the newspapers everywhere Tuisled them
shamefully and ignorantly. Only two news
papers until toward the close OF the stTug-
Gle, took the side OF the North. These were
the CaledOnaQ Mercury and the Leeds
Mercury, neither Of them influential outside
its own limited circle When the end came
the whole country saw its error, and when
General Grant visited Great Britain how
everybody did bow the knee 10 him and call
him cOnqueTor.
But the theme which started me on this
subject was music. Mr.. Sala has delicate
ear, as becomes a man who had an Italian
mother. and, therefore, his nerves are IN
torture when he is compelled to listen to
trashy Instrumentation. He mentions that
be was In New York in 1864, liYingin rooms
on West Fourteenth street During the hot
weather all the windows Of the neighbour
hood wsre open, and as if to stimulate
breeze. ali the pianos were kept going from
morning until far into the night. There
were tWentV-seyen OF them, and he could
listen 10 Faust" ''TrOvatore." Tam
IauseT." John Browns Body" and when
This Cruel War Is Over" all inteTmingled
What other effect could have been pro-
dBced on his mind than that which he de-
scf0es 81 was very busy writing Oh Amer
lean politics a. the time and l took the
wrong side-tbat is 10 say. l advocated the
cause Of the South against the NOTth-but
am now thoroughly convinced that my
political alteration was mainly due 10 the
Internal ciaug0ur OF the tWenty-seYen
pianos. and that but for the systematic
massacre OF the yalse from Faust and
'ctTidi "a NampO,' ! should have become as
staunch q Federal as any member Of the
Union League Club"
Mr.. Sala Is now malienably Federal. He
trips across the Atlantic occasionally and
makes himself at home in the best clubs,
where he is one OF the most entertaining of
men and an authority upon music, the
drama, Biographical and historical anecdote,
tales CT tie town, travel, book lore, art, gas
tf0nOaIy, and everything but the dry bones
Of such sciences as have their skeletons
formed OF nomenclature. 1t would be hard
70 say what Saia does not know or cannot
ind out. but doubtless behind the puff OF a
cigar he would confess that the known is
but drop in the bucket compared with the
EGoWa5le and tie unknown.
The publishers If America are notori-
ously very enterpTisiDg men in their own
Interests. They make their bargains with
tie poor hacks Of literature very iudicious-
II, 10 general paying them il doles and
rakinE In the major share of the receipts
themselves, after squaTing accounts on
strictly business principles with the print
ELS per thousand ems" aud per pound Of
PAPER. Tie older hands IN the field are all
iLilllua.Fes anu are Stll adding TO their
MI ions most peTseVeringly. Publishers
qua. together and literary men and women
do not They do not even insist upon get
ting an insight into accounts. Thus II pub
fishers make tWo-thiTds Of the money that
comes from q novel, biography or q book
u travel they have only themselves to
blame Mark Twain has bad tie art Of
driving a good bargain IS to the publication
Of any works ne has given to the world.
The other day received from the pub
fishers IN New York, ScTibneT's, a copy Of
The translation Of LetOuTneau's Evolution
OF Marriage and OF the Family" The re-
tail price IS 81 .. How comes it that the
price IS actually 90 cents higher than il is in
Eng and? The new copyright law might
have been supposed TO equalize these things.
ScTbners did not bring the book cut.
1hCy came 10 terms with the English pub
Ishers, Tor IN every respect the books are
me same IN appearance, down 10 the brown
binding. 1t is one of the volumes of the
Contemporary Science series.
II was lady who made this translation,
and she may well be FTOud OF the achieve
ment, for, reading the work in English, it is
50 id!omattc and peTs icuOus in style that
the thought OF It's being a translation does
not occur TO the reader. The lady is Mrs.
Walters of Ben Rhydding, Valley of the
" haTie, oTkShlTe Even such finished
literary toll IS DauseOusy cheap in England.
All she received for the translation and
IToof correction, as well as cOTresp endence
with Let0urneaU, who was delighted with
the achievement and was prOfuse IN compli-
ments, was the pittance of 925l Verify,
the sweating in literature is just as vile as
ID the shabby genteel garment dens. OF
course ScUDDeTS know nothing about Mrs
Walters ana pay her nothing. But how
much 90 they pay the English publishers?
Walter Bssant. the champion OF the rights
oi authors, may make some use OF this de-
pressing story.
At what age should a child begin to read
/ do not say 90 TO school. for kindergaTtens
are useful institutions for the youngest chill
dreD, where they do not grow weary, and
where they learn TO know forms and sub
stances by contact and handling. and not
merely by the names. Unless there are
signs Of genius, child learns almost moth
Ing by reading before or s. and If it can be
Kept away from reading until 10, so much
the better. provided oral instruction in all
that can be seen, heard or felt is given in
tenigently.
a boy or girl thus taught soon makes I'D
for leeWay in reading and passes other
children Of the same age who have had
years Of book lessons. Before taking up
reading a child may know a good deal
about every tree and shrub in Golden Gate
Park. and have definite knowledge abon:
animals. birds, fish and insects. Enthusi-
asm is always evoked by knowledge of the
external world. It requires a good deal Of