The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1899-05-11
4 "FOOL' ANSWERS
AN "ANGEL, y
Those who Live In Glass
Houses" &c.

EDITORS JOURNAL:-In recent issue
OF the Herald there appeared COM
munication under the title, "And Fools
Rush in Where Angels Fear to Tread :"
signed Miss Dykers," in which an ar
ticle styled "Over-culture," written by
myself for the Marietta Journal, is
criticised. The writer of the first piece
places me in the category of "fools, :"
and according to the tenor of her ar
gument, evidently considers herself a
member of the band of CANCELS, :"
standing in fear and trembling upon
the sacred Ito herr ground of "classi-
caP' music.
The angel" remarks, ''How often
we see it in this every day world, where
the few really cultured people are seek
ing to hold their heads above the surg
ing waves of ignorance and conceit. 1t
has never been more exemplified than
in an article found unsigned, fortu-
nately, in weekly paper. We don't
know who wrote it, we don't want to
know; we would [should dislike to put
in such category anyone that we do
know. xxx This learned and highly
cultured writer, who confesses that his
intellect cannot reach even to the level
OF Emerson, is not satisfied with ac-
knowledging his own consummate,
crude, unmitregated [unmitigated ig-
nOrance of music, but must needs drag
the musical people of Marietta down
with him into the pit Of mere tunes.
xx* Wagner never dreamed of writ
ing for the pupils of some possible vii
lage singing teacher, but formulated
his poetic dreams and fancies into the
most perfect accord, which though at
times verging on harmonious discords,
never gets [getl there but always pre-
serves [preservel the sublime motive
intact" Qn this sentence (which"
refers to dreams and fancies" as they,
and not the accord" carry the
motive"
A perusal OF the above will convince
the casual reader that Notwithstanding
the inferential claim of the writer to
Angelhood, she lacks one very i'm
portant Angelic quality-unostenta-
ton and modesty in regard to her
mental endowments and tastes. With
what apparent self-satisfaction she
claims to be one of the few really cul-
tured people" who are seeking to
"hold their heads above the surging
waves of ignorance and conceit."
But | fear, Angel, that however much
you may be cultured in the essentials
of 4Wagnerian music, in other things
which are usually regarded as belong
ing to the realm of the high acquire
ments, you are not above the level of
US fools" For instance, your piece
shows that you are not an authority in
rhetoric, English grammar, or orthog-
raphy and as the first two subjects
treat of the orderly and harmonious ar
engagements of our language SYM
phony of sense as it were-I am sur
prised that you should have such a
profound appreciation of the smypho-
MES of sound.
You allege of my article that it was
recently found unsigned, fortunately,
in a weekly paper" This sentence is
of what rhetoricians call "squinting"
construction, and it is doubtful wheth-
er you mean that it is fortunate
that my piece was found in a weekly
paper, or fortunate that it was
found unsigned, (although an aster-
isk marked it, not wishing to ap-
pear conceited.) / suppose, though,
that you meant the latter, for you say
that you "don't know who wrote il"
you don't want to know" Many
thanks. AS am fearful that / could
not exist were / exposed to the burn
ing contempt, pouring from this mid
day sun of angelic perfection were my
identity known, shall act upon the
quiet hint thus thrown out in that
direful exclamation, 1--WE would dis
like to put in such category anyone
that we do know" and therefore re-
main "Nameless here forevermore,
No, Angel, am not village sing
ing teacher" leave to you the task
OF looking after the village musical in
terests, confident that Wagner's rep
ntation will be safe in your hands even
though he did not write for the ilk OF
which you are member. Neither am
Every old" and with penchant for
the popular airs, such as Dixie, !"
"Suwanee River" and other "mere
tunes" nor yet very young and senti-
mental and devoted to the lyric airs.
AS stated in my first article, / be-
lieve the highest expressions of music,
classical and refined, are to be found in
the works of great composers preceding
Wagner, the latter OF whom in my
opinion, though it may Indicate crude,
ignorance OF music, /"
was an imposter and subverter of true
Harmony, as were also his itnitators
whose productions Thomas orchestra
Nor the most part rendered.
ygust here l beg leave to observe,
~. I