The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-28
Xoicele.s Music.


melodies ia singing praises TO the divinity
OF sons.
Dryden gives as splendid Illustration
OF this thought. when he sings OF the
power of music over the soul of Alex
ander. No wonder that
9th uvishcd ears
The monarch hears.
Assumes the God,
Affects the nod.
And seems 90 shake the spheres
il may be a mere fancy. but / cannot
hep feeling that the power of poetry
over tho mind Of the old Greek was beau
tifully and truthfuly shown 10y me iact
that I'm his theOl0y tho God who guided
the sun I'm his course was the same who
presided over the realms OF poetry and
music The glorious son OF Zeus, who
sent tho orb OF light and warmth 10 cheer
the world with bis life-gving beams,
also klndlcd the frps OF genius on the
altar OF the poets heart ana with magic
touch. called forth the enchanting har-
monies or the musicians soul.
one OF tho most brilliant philosophers
u this country has paid SO beautiful
tribute TO this woodworking power that
7 cannot repress my enthusiasm rs l read
his glowing words. It excels in trans
porting TO the feet Of eternal mercy the
ance. hope. and love. Happy are those
who at Rome. en- the Vatican, during the
solemnltics of the Catholic worship have
heard the melodies Of Leo. Durante, and
pergOlesc. ON the one cOnsecratcd text.
They have entered Heaven for a mOmnt.
and their s0uls have heen able 90 ascend
tnither without distinction Of rank c0un-
/ try. even belief. by those invisible and
mysterious steps composed, thus 10
speak, OF all the simple natural, uuiycr-
sal Sentiments, that everywhere on earth
draw from the bosom OF the human
creature q sigh towards another world"
But 81 such he the power OF music over
the mortal being. whose ear is deadened
ly the dreadful oppression >0f the tyrant.
SIN. what must DE the untold and unal-
terabie haTmOnies Of that pure world,
where 10 Earring dlscOris are allowed 20
enter and no untuned voice Is suffered
10 mar the melody OF the heavenly choir.
The unutterable things OF which the rapt
Apostle brought back a vague report from
"the third heaven" We're things which
he had heard-not things which Die had
seen.
Though IL Is not a matter FOR reasoning.
yet 1 feel that ] could give an answer %
the celebrated mathemat can, who. az
ter reading paradise Lost" asked COM
tomptuousy. "What does it prove?' It
proves the power of poetry and the sway
of song. the harmony ~ Heaven, ana the
horrors of hell, The grandeur of genius
and the Story Of Cod"
Yet flr beyond even this w0ndrous
power & that OF the unhcard meiod es OF
which the tender and sensitive sou viii
sometimes catch unWritten snatches. IL
is sad. yet sweet. % remember that the
real composer Beethoven. who onchaut-
fi0ns was himself stone deaf and when
in reading over his own grand pieces his
soul seemed ravsaed with delight, the un-
taught people who witnessed the touch
ing scene. wondered how be could appre-
ciate the muse C.
They knew not The great truth that the
fond mother. Genius knows her offspring
ntcnt.ycly. and delights I'm the chi.ren
of her own rearing. in whatever manner
they may come o. her. She fondles them
Bon her bosom. presses them 70 her throb-
bling. swelling heart with such delight as
only the fond mother can ever know. II
one door Of her house is closed by the
ruthless hand OF misfortune. she hastens
TO throw open another through which her
loved ones may gladly come On. ana exuit
in the glowing tenderness OF a mothers
heart The ear of Beethoven was closed
forever but his eye was still open. and
through this window ~ The soul did his
music float and stir his ant to its IN
most depths.
Does any one say "This IS the very
coinage of your hrain-the dream or an
untutored fancy? I'm the words Of a child
OF genius. I reply. that I am here adj
dressing myself fo those who feel rather
than 10 those who think-to the dreamers
and those who put faith IN dreams as IN
the only realities
And yet. n Witnesses are needed 20 the
glorious truth. here they come trooplng
IN almost unbi1den. Here IS Poe. with
thoughts hat wander through eternity:
"rho orchestra breathcs dtfuily,
The music OF the spheres"
Thomas Carlyle with his doep. ma
iestic oarncstness. tes'ifios 70 the exist
ence N sphere Harmonies'
HIGHER still. Shakespeare wrote:
"Therc's not the smallest orb which thou
beholdcst.
But In his motion IKE an angel sings.
Stul ouirlnc 10 the young-eyed cherublms:
such harmony IS IN immortal souls;
But whist this muddy vesture OF decay
Doth grossly close L r., We cannot hear
It,"
But above al: Jehovah Himself speak
inc 10 old Job out % the whirlwind. al
ludes 10 the time
when the morning stars sang together.
And all the sons Of God shouted for ioy."
II these he fancies then / am Wiling
10 take fancy for faith, and. with al
reverence 7 trust that Heaven IS full OF
snch fankes realized. and that. when
let loose from this tenement OF clay, my
ransomed spirit may forever revel IN
such dreams as the glorious reaction OF
tho redeemed and purified soul
J. c. Hidden.
Richmond. VA. Feb. &c. 1897.
The committee appointed by the Min
neapolls Stonemasons' Union 10 call on
the material dealers have met with great