Year: 1860

From the Edgeaeld Advertiser.


THE sERENADE.


Time was, when a serenade enstamped
its occurrence upon the hearts of its hear
ers with mystic power, and left an i'm
preston that long remained cherished
reminiscence Because then, in the moon
light of nature and of sentiment, the object
of the serenader was to impart the charm
of melody to the gradually awakening per-
ception of some fair friend or lady-love !;
and before she had become fully conscious
that it was only thing of time and sense,
the music aud its agents stole off through
the shadows of the "stilly night" as softly
as they baaapproached the houored case
ment. Think not that We speak of the
sem. mi.fabulous days of the troubadours. 1t
is only quarter of century ago, and deven
here, in this (then) 'loveliest village of the
plane,' that serenaders knew their duty, and
knowing, dared pursue it. Never can we
forget certain night in the 'Long, long
ago. when the gentle breathings of two
flutes in perfect unison first awoke our ap-
probation of the true old.style serenade.
1t came upon our dreaming fancy like
sounds from heaven; and, despite the vi
cissitudes of life, it fingers with memory
still. And after that, many and many a
night did We walk the exciting rounds Of
this agreeable privilege as an assistant to
those who had thus Inspired US with their
notions of the beautiful. The aim and pur-
pose of sereuade in those days, was to
honor and please the delicate taste of wo-
man; and, to do this effectually, we were
taught that the most profound respect and
chastened caution should direct our efforts.
Thus it happened, that every pre-arrange-
ment was as secret as darkness itself, and
that a serenade came and went like the
sweet south wind to be enjoyed during its
stay for its balmy gentleness, and to be cher.
ished afterwards for the romantic coloring Of
respectful gallantry which tinged its every
feature.


We are sorry to think this good old style
is becoming obsolete. That it should do
so, is mark of degeneracy in the taste and
temper of the times. Yet it is too true,
that in this respect great change has
come over the spirit of our dreams. The
blatant horn and the rafting drum have dis,
placed the gentle flute and the light guitar.
And serenades are now used to hatter coarse
men more than to crafty the refined feel
ings of woman. If it must be, that this
beautiful custom is to be thus desecrated
it is perhaps proper that the shrill cornet
and coarse bassoon should be the executors
of the change. If wrangliug politicians
and not lovely women, are to be the chiet
recipients of these favors, let brass pandel
to brass it is right enough in that aspect
of the matter. But we sternly and uucom
promisingly object to any such abominable
degradation of this ancient observance
We stand forward with one hand upon oul
heart and the other pointing to the silvery
Goddess of the night, and we claim The


Serenade as the sole and exclusive right Of
woman, dear woman. Monsters that ye
are,-gross perverters of long established
usage-whoever ye be that corrupt this
once beautiful custom by turning it to the
iguoble ends of political applause,-we
demand, in the name of all the terrestrial
angels whose privileges you are thus infrin
ging, that you stop in your nefarious and
vulgar career. The domain of The Sere
made, is woman's prerogative -


"Hence avaunt, (tis holy ground)


Comus and his mid night crew"


But more than this, we demand that 6
speedy return be made to the chaste sim
plicity of this ancient custom. We call up
on all young men of taste to eschew course
music for any purposes of The Serenade
We call upon you to cultivate, instead, tht
gentler and more sentimental instruments
to refine your own vocalization,-and this
decently conducted, is an elegant adjunc
of The Serenade; to study the true proprie
ties of this time. honored practise; to let al
know that you are not to be paid off TO
your complimentary tributes in cake anc
wine, but that your gallantry is held abov'
! such paltry valuation and in short, to re
! store The Serenade to its primitive form
8 and mode Although we allude to thi
, matter in half.jesting tone, it is in trutl
: social desideratum. The reform we in
: dicate is needed as thing of deceucy. l
S is needed to cultivate high and chival
rous inter-sexual sentiment. And NOR
/ than all, it is needed to give lovely woman


her due in manner suited to her higl
graces of body and soul.