Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-09-16

A QUESTION OF NERVES.
The Dread of Noise One of the Alarming
Signs of Civilization.


Although, according to certain philoso-
phers sound ceases when noise begins, to
the world at large there is no sharp divis-
ION. Thomas Hood said that the Germans,
Tor musical nation, were the most noisy
he ever met with, and Schopenhauer
quoted the opinion with approval, alleging
as cause that his countrymen do not
shlnk-"they only smoke, which is their
substitute for thought" The great pes
slmist regarded uoise as the assassin Of
thought but Dr.. johnson made the same
charge against music AS nation we de-
light iii the 6recrackers of the Chinese
and !oathe their national music They in
turn cannot endure our scale and our sys
ZEN OF harmony The Bostonian who does
hot JUMP al 1iscordant church chimes
aarsb and olt OF tune, will fret at the
street cries Of foreign city, although they
ar. otter pleasantly pitched and Of care
historical interest.
The worshiper at the shrine OF Brahms
will stop heI ears when Maggie Murphy
issues from. new and improved hand or
!. gan although the melody is characters
tic, the rhythm of the performer is faultless
aid his bravura is of dazzling accuracy
There are people i'll Detroit to whom the
factory whistles are such an annoyance
mat ny CltJ cluilduCc WOIkhcI1 uOW ~
10 their labor and return homeward in
depressing silence, and yet even the chro
matte whistle, with its predominating
colol red and its ascending wall. was
heard With JOY at noon by women who
thus knew there was a loafng spell for
their men. Afte1 all, this distinction De-
tween noise and sound is in measure !;
question of individuality as well as OF IS
ISOLATION of ideas.
When Elizabeth ruled England manual
!aborers anC mechanical artificers sang at
their work. The merry cobbler is extinct.
The tinker raises his voice in melody in
MI De Koven's "Robir Hood, /" but in our
daily life he gives vent to mis- feelings in
prose. Our street cries in America are
few, chiefly in the mouths OF wandering
nucksters of fruits and vegetables. Their
calls are all TOO short, as though they
realized that even in this respect time is
money. Then toe, they know that in the
summer, when windows are open, their
vocal approach is feared by our nervous
citizens, Whereas if we were truly civil
lied, it would be welcomed. 1t is true
there should be a training school, and the
work of Georges Kastner should be the
text book.
Each vegetable should have it's peculiar
SOuS. liz OuUCutI, mllhIudu, INC
hurler of ice, the buyer of old clo', the
member of windows or umbrellas, all
other purveyors to human needs, should
serve a sonorous apprenticeship. The orr
entails are our masters. They clothe the
announcement of their merchandise in po-
etc phrases; they recommend fruit as u
consolation; flowers are perfumes of para
disc for the present delectation of the faith
full Were we to adopt their methods,
street cries might not in future be regard
ed as so many varieties of noise as terrible
as a neghboring and busy pile driver.
The unreasonable dread of noise is one of
the most alarming symptoms of the sickly
condition of our civilization. This is the
And yet in spite of the prevailing fear of
shocks to the ear, human ingenuity adds
daily to the number of disturbing causes.
Familiarity with such causes acts, it is
said like potent, Supplying drug. But
we cannot all attend the concerts of sea
son, nor can we ali live in the vicinity of a
boiler factory. The growth of the fat
should therefore be encouraged The
privacy in such a dwelling is tumultuous.
The kitchen is close to the parlor; voices
above and below assume unnatural proper
tions through the speaking trumpet Of the
elevator; the irritating electric bell is at
the mercy Of any flippant passer by. This
discipline of a year may bring such cal
lousness of nerve that the loneliness of an
isolated farmhouse or the waste of ocean
may il turn shatter the town dweller
beyond repair Boston Transcript.