Blind Organists.
The Times, 1824-12-30T00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIfMES. Sir,_Wil. you primit me to call the attention of the public to an act of injuttice, which has recently been commritted in the person of an individual towards a body of persons suffering under one of the greatestcalamities to which hurnan natunre is subject. A few weeks since, an advertisemnent appeared in Your paper, in- viting persons to offer themselves as candidates for the situation of organist, in a newly erected church, in the immediate vicinity of the netropolis. Among thuse who offered themselves, was one who had travellcd on purpose from a distant part of the kingdom, but suSfering under the calamity of blindness, he was thereby declared ineligible. This, T submit, was an act of injustice to the individual, because the invitation was general: but what I would more particularly op. pose is, the erroneous principle by which he was escluded, and which, to persons suffering under so great a calarnity,is very import- ant at a period when so manly new churches are building. Blind musical persons are generally adtmitte(d to pOssCss a very delicate touch, and to play with considerable exuression ; they also are allowed to possess svhat is calledi a fine ear, and that in a higher degree thatn those who are not deprived of Right; and are thereby particularly qualified to teach. psalmody to clarity children, wlio are always taught by ear. If, they, they possess qualifications peculiarly fitting them for some of the duticEs of the situation, and abilities equal, if riot supe- rior, to other candidates, for all the duties of the situation, why are they to be shut out without a trial ? I ask not that they may be pre- ferred because they are blind, but I do ask that they niay not be therefore shut out from fair competition. If there are any friends to te blind. who have the inclination to serve them, but who doubt their fitness for such situations, I would beg to remind them, that the scientific Stanley was a blind organist: his voluntaries and concertos are well known, and he was considered qualified to contluct the oratorios which had been previously con- ducted by Handel. Grenulle wae a blind man, and for 30 years orgar.ist at the Foundling Hosnital, when the chapel of that institu- tion was growvded to exccss. And in the 1.resent dvy, amoii i-any others that might be mentioned,Purkis, and Toplihf, and Mat er, are blind organists. The school children taught by them siisgremarkably wcll, and no person having hcard them lilay coald douht their quali- fications. Ana it is singular, that the pu'pils of the Bliind School, who, it was lately stated in your paper, were reported by flr. Attwood to be sufficiently qualified to undertake the situation in question, were taught by Ml r. Styles, himself a blind organist. I feel too well assured that there ate many persons readly to as- stiage the sufFirring: of' humanity, wiIling to becomze " eyes to the blind," and ";feet ts the lame," whoenjov the laxury of doinFg good, te doubt of obtaining evr'n-handed juatice for persons so um- fortunatelysituased as are the blind, when thcir case is fairly brought before the public, which will efctually be accomplished if'you allow tiis letter a ulace in vour valuable columns. I am, Sir, your cnnttant reader, A. Y. T. BLIND ORGANISTS.