The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-10

sible to art. The extension Of con
seriousness which the mystic claims 4
never along the lines Of intellect an,
reason but rather. like music. II II
commensurate with the affectiona
sensibilities Of the heart. Mysticism
Is held to be the soul of religion and o
spirit worship and music tbecause of 8
certain indeflnitenessD the sole as
thet,c of the cosmic consciousness
only in music do we rise from res.
thctic self-consciousness to the fuller
consciousness of the Over Self. In
contradiction Of this statement Of the
author We should surely say that
Whitman's Song of the open Road
came nearer To awakening the cosmit
emotion than Strauss's waltzes. for ex-
ample, and that Eaughan's ETERNITY
was more charging and liberating
than THE Pink Lady the result of
the investigation being that some
kinds of poetry are nearer to mysti-
cism thar some kinds Of music and
that all depends upon what grade of
art one is contemplating. The great
est paintings and the greatest poetry
may as readily lead to that higher
consciousness which subdues and an
initiates self as great music, although
we quite see the authors contention
that the lack of defined and
content in music leaves IA wider space
FOR the spirit to insert It's own cd-
pacity and Interpretation. But the
book IL contagious and IL Is difficult to
writR uf wifhnnt rallnuyinu Ia, sE.
same order of distractions. 1t is the
insecurity, the impenetrability to
proof of any sort which makes such
statements fatiguing and wearing.
When an author writes. ITO hear the
opening bar of Beethoven's 'Pathe-
tique Sonata is to be artisticaly
aware of the depths Of personal con-
~sciousness.' there Is no reply to such
an assertion. Some persons may share
the authors sensation while a thou
nay not. The author DIVORCES
to give a warning on the dangers
OF music and mysticism In this chap
ter. The danger being mans ten
dency to trace all his emotions to a
source AS "a matter uf fact
the danger in music and mysticism
and in this whole book is that of
all lines and demarca-
tons n of leaving only "a helpless
mush of sentiment and large. indef-
mite utterances. Taken separately
they sound we'll. but wading through
four hundred pages of them is "A
fruitless task. Nothing is more dan
serous than congratulations and un-
proved distractions. Nothing leaves
he m'nd 80 unnourishcd and untitled.
are gaseous and windy. but alas.
hey leave n empty. Somehow con-
must he made between mind
md spirit; the generalization Is VAL
AZ one multiplies concrete eX-
implies and "A book like his is chiefly
l warning against unreality.
To turn tn the authors conclusion
lind Mr.. McAlpin asking:
what l. the artistic truth a. L. 1. IN
Science tells Of a cosmos broad
on unsiterabic law. And its beauty
: -likc painting the outcome OF = wise
Of all IL. parts aud powers.
Philosophy again assures US thar nature
snnqt but be mind Informed and regu.
stcd-as in poetry 10y reasop But Is
hat all tina. can he said Of rcali.y' Does
hat exhaust the entirety of truth" l.
here no vision granted us from within
he vcilH The fac; Is that only a. we
out into the region Of religion--that
'hIch In ART become. musical beauty-do
We reach the ultimate OF truth and
eaiity.
Again he warns us that scientific
ruth is like painting. med!ated from
Without: ~philosophlc truth, like poetry.
$ due TO the activity OF our own
Consciousness: but mora! and spiritual
ruth. like music. from within
nd appertains entirely To ourselves.
lusic functions beneath the bottom
ass whirlpool OF existence he as
ures us, behind the Illusion If form
nj name and preticures the percep-
Of eternal law. Indeed he goes
n rh~apsodically: ,
What Is Low" bu, musle's score, union
hearts and sweet communion ~ souls /
at muSic's intoractiyitv 81 spirits, For !
dly this art alone among ar cher ,vp.s ,
beauty seems mprehcuslNe and ali +,
II alone among al forms OF :
= seems capable OF stealing through and
.hus'ng the vast spaces Of immensely and I
linking MP al! mortals in one common
'nd II U'sthct!c ecstasy. I
Pater has said more about music in
single paragraph in his "Rcnais- q
.nc"' on music than Mr.. McAlp!n has !
lanaged To say in four hundred pages G
r~hapsod!cal lyr!cism. Tho book
itist serve chiefly as a warning to the
mind. To float about in moth
.sneSs and utter ecstatic cries the
nile informs no one. proves nothing
I'd wastes ink. \ nice little anthology
pretty sentences might be made )
ON the book. but as n whole there S
no logic, no continuity OF thought.
, carefully wrought out argument. 5
he State!nen: is made that music IL a
Ie highest of the arts and this state. ?
en- Is reiterated and re~arranged ="
ID repeated Ike an antiphonal chan. /
In church. :"
r"r Peace In the Coal Fields. G