muse. Just as, in this case, frivolity and loathsome stagnation on the one side pre-suppose the existence of the same qualities on the other, the skilful, independent, and yet subordinated work of the author of the words, in the case of Broughton and Handel, justify us in concluding that a corresponding standard of æsthetical excellence was adopted by the composer.

The personages of the piece are precisely the same as those of the Greek tragedy. Dejanira, Hercules, their son Hyllos, Iole, the Echalian captive, and the herald Lichas. There is, however, this material difference: Iole, who, in the tragedy of Sophocles, is only a mute personage, is, in the modern piece, more intimately connected with the plot, and thus not only do we gain a series of the most valuable scenes, peculiarly suited to the composer, but, also, an element essential to the symmetrical and harmonious structure of the whole, as a musical drama.

Our attention is first directed to Dejanira, the deeply sorrowing wife of Alcides, who has been absent for several months, and of whom no tidings have reached his home. What the sun is to the world, the hero is to his passionately fond wife. Racked by sad presentiments, she bewails, day and night, the pangs of separation. Meantime, Hyllos has consulted the priests of Jupiter about his father's fate :

:

Isee the hero dead upon the ground!

O'er Eta's head the flames rise to the sky."* Such is the mysterious response, which completely extinguishes all hopes in the bosom of Dejanira. Already does she dream she is united to the beloved-one in the Elysian Fields, to part from him no more. Hyllos, however, a son worthy of his father, acts differently. Neither the biting frost of the North, nor the glowing heat of a Lybian sun, can deter him from resolving to undertake a pious pilgrimage, either to find his father or perish in the attempt. A magnificent chorus, full of solemn earnestness and reverential courage, express their approbation of his resolve. Suddenly intelligence is brought that Hercules is returning from Echalia, which he has razed to the ground. Dejanira's joy is as boundless as her grief has previously been. Although her presentiments, a short time before, would not yield to comfort, she now giddily banishes from her mind all recollections of the menacing response of the oracle. It is sufficient for her that her husband is returning, returning as a conqueror, and she rushes out hurriedly, with all around her, to receive him; the herald and the chorus of the Trachinians are more moderate in their joy, and, when we hear that, in the eyes of Lichas, the changes of suffering and joy appear as day and night, as ebb and flood, who would not be struck by the idea that the flood of Dejanira's joy, also, will ebb, and her delight be followed by sorrow? We now have a fresh picture; the captive princess, Tole, in the midst of her maidens, bewails the bitter fate which deprives her of liberty. Hercules enters to a grand march. He is full of the joy of victory, and the proud feeling that he has pacified the rage of Juno, and, crowned with fresh glory, reached the end of his labours. He determines that all around him shall rejoice as well as himself, and fancies he can easily dry up Iole's tears by presenting her with liberty. The rough warrior fails to observe the fearful emotion produced in the soul of the unhappy maiden by his appearance. Then again arises in her mind, with irresistible violence, the picture she was once obliged to behold of her father slain by Hercules before the walls of Echalia, and her fancy once more subjects her to all the pain of this torture, until the vision at length makes way for a calmer and more soothing kind of pain. Who cannot recognise in all this the qualities which stamp it as the peculiar property of the musician? And how indisputably has Handel proved himself the potentate destined to take possession of such a subject, and hold it beneath his sway? What a magic perfume has he not

*Not having the English original by us, we have been obliged to

translate the German version, which is as follows:

"Ich seh' den Helden todt dahingestreckt!
Es steigt die Flamm' auf Oeta's Haupt empor."

TRANSLATOR.

|

cast over the whole, and with what treasures has he not endowed, from out the inexhaustible abundance of his genius, the songs of the young girl! Let us come to the conclusion of the act, the chorus: " Crown with festal pomp!" This is one of those pieces which pour forth their golden stores without stint or hindrance, and enchant the hearer with their very first tones. Schoelcher (Life of Handel, page 290) concludes from this chorus, and the march mentioned above-those being the only portions of Hercules he has heard in England-that "If the remainder of the score equal these two magnificent pieces, Hercules is a master-piece unknown to the public." We are quite willing for anyone, allured by these two pieces, to make himself acquainted with the whole, but he must be prepared to find that the magnificence of the apartments will easily cause him to forget the side-door which served him as an entrance.

The second act developes still more closely Iole's purity of soul. Dejanira, her breast heaving with passion, now visits the maiden-gloomy jealousy has gained possession of her mind. She fancies it was simply to obtain Iole that Hercules destroyed Echalia. On beholding the fair girl, enveloped in the charm of silent and patient grief, she seeks every plausible ground for jealousy, and thus, with busy hand, nourishes the flame destined to bring destruction with it. In vain does the innocent object of her wrath warn the blinded woman of the self-created pangs of groundless suspicion; in vain does Lichas praise the pure fidelity of his lord. The dart has entered too deeply, and she who is wounded by it will not be cured. A most true and touching delineation of this suicidal fancy, which, with contemptible delight, produces horrible torture, from vain deceit, in the heart of its victim, is presented to us in the next But away, for a moment, chorus, which concludes the scene. with such gloomy pictures, and let us unroll a scene full of the purest beauty. Dejanira has a correct estimate of the charm which suffering beauty exercises on the heart of man! The spell in which she imagines, without reason, her own husband to be held, has seized on Hyllos. is in his heart that Cupid's dart is buried, and the fair creature's sufferings, in which the powerful god has dipped his weapon, have entirely turned the young man's heart to pity the two, who appear so completely formed for each other: and love. He seeks her presence. But a deep abyss separates "How can love exist in the sad heart filled with care-and

It

love, moreover, for the son of the harsh man who slew my father?"-thus does Iole reject his suit. Then begins the lovely air :— "Banish love from your breast: "Tis a womanish guest." "*

in which she bids the young man renounce love, and, by deeds Her warnworthy of his father, prove the vigour of his race. ings and exhortations ill conceal, however, the fact that her heart is fighting a hopeless fight, in order to rescue her from the bonds which are drawing her to Hyllos. Is it on the flame? astonishing that she merely throws oil wards the god whose power has driven even the immortal act of blasphemy todeities themselves from heaven, in order to enjoy, for a while, on earth, the sweeter heaven of love; this thought is taken up by the chorus, who sing, in swelling tones, the praises of the allpowerful boy-divinity. Dejanira re-appears, accompanied, this duce no effect upon his calm and great mind; nay, he does not time, by her husband; the petty punctures of her sarcasm proeven take the trouble to inquire the cause of her jealousy. He resolves to give a feast, to celebrate his victory, in the temple of Jove; meanwhile Dejanira is left to get rid of her groundless suspicions. She is the only person who remains behind, sinking still deeper in her delusion. It suddenly strikes her that she will employ magic to regain the estranged heart of her husband. who was slain by Hercules, and which, according to the dying She has preserved a rich garment soaked in the blood of Nessus, centaur, is able to revive extinct love. The unhappy woman *"Banne Lieb' aus der Brust;

Her wishes strike him as an

's ist ein weibischer Gast."

sends this to her husband. She is not aware, however, of its fatal power, nor does she know that, by her own act, she is fulfilling the menacing response of the oracle. A sham reconciliation is effected. This furnishes Lichas with the subject for a beautiful little air ("Lasting love," &c.), and is embodied in a duet between Dejanira and Iole, being taken up by the chorus at the conclusion of the second act. Meanwhile, the seeds sown by jealousy are shooting up with fearful rapidity. An instrumental symphony serves as the introduction to the third act, and prepares us for the wild deeds of the latter. After Lichas has announced to the Trachinians the fall of their king, a piece of news of which the chorus immediately appreciate the results, the picture of grief itself is presented to us. It is difficult to decide which is the more deserving of the prize the pourtrayal of the horrible pangs with which the devouring poison racks the body of its unhappy victim, or the fearful picture, worthy the models we have received from Hellenic antiquity, of Dejanira, pursued by the Furies, whom she has herself called up, and in vain seeking repose in the gloomy shade of night. In truth, neither of these delineations is inferior to the other; the most we can perhaps assert isthat, as the pangs of a soul conscious of its guilt far surpass all mere bodily pain, the first place in artistic worth must be assigned to their pourtrayal. Only a short, and very characteristic air of Hyllos (“ Be silent, O, be silent,”) follows the first of these two pictures, and a charming song of pity, from the lips of Iole, the second. The dénoûment is not retarded by anything else, and particularly not by the chorus, which is silent until nearly the end. The conclusion is rapidly brought about.

The priest of Jupiter announces the elevation of the hero from the flames of the funeral pile to the blessed abode of the gods; and, after this happy event has been eloquently celebrated in an air of Lichas ("He who was the pillar of heaven "), the priest, in obedience to the will of Jove, unites Hyllos and Iole, who express their joy in a charming duet. Now, at length, the chorus again comes forward, and, in a simple and expressive song of praise, extol the glory of the founder of freedom, before whose heroic arm arbitrary caprice and violence have disappeared from the earth. It is evident that it would be no easy task to find another foundation so well adapted, by its nature and arrangement, for the hand of the musician to rear his structure on. To the four persons whose fortunes constitute the essence of the piece, so to say, Lichas is added as a support, and the representative of the declamatory character. He partly serves to introduce or bring about, in various ways, the different transactions, and partly this fact more especially constituting his musical worth-mirrors, according to their moral importance, the dreadful deeds that take place; being less affected by the grief and joy they produce than the other characters. His connection with the chorus is thus manifest. Perhaps it may be allowable, while treating of this particular work, to say a few words on the choruses in Handel's oratorios generally. That the directors of musical societies, when selecting a work for performance, mostly first take into consideration the number and musical beauty of the choruses, is an undisputable fact, inasmuch as the solo parts, and the conception of them-whether justly, is another question-are left to the private study of those to whom they are entrusted. Such a course is not only easily to be explained, but is an honourable proof of the endeavour to accomplish, with the means at disposal, as comprehensive a task as possible; but such a course has been, and still is, one of the principal reasons of a number of the most magnificent works being subjected to the great injustice of undeserved neglect, not to mention the disgraceful mutilation of others, which have still to make their way gradually in their original form. If, in Belshazzar, the weight of whole nations, in action, as it were, is thrown into the scale; if, in Israel, the chosen people sing the wonders of the land of the Lord, their God, with epic breadth and fulness, before which the voice of a single person must be dumb; if, in Judas Maccabaus and in Joshua, the same people, gathered around their leaders, chosen and inspired by God, undergo sufferings and do deeds-is it so much out of the way to suppose that all these subjects necessarily comprehended within themselves the elements, of their artistic fashioning, and that it is a fundamental error to seek

similar combinations from completely different elements, and a similar structure on quite different foundations? Would it not be worth while to follow confidingly the same master, even in those instances when he had neither the wish nor the power to dash in his artistic pictures with so few broad strokes, but when his genius was obliged to work with gentler, more numerous, but wonderfully consistent touches, in order, out of the various individual forms, to produce a rounded whole, full of life and truth? We would have the present work, and particularly the choruses, considered in this light. It would take too long to point out in detail the means the artist's hand has employed, or to enter deeply into the manner in which they are turned to account. Besides, numerous musical examples would be requisite, and what we could give would in some cases be too much, and in others too little; for those who are well acquainted with the work, such examples would be far too much, while they would be too little for those to whom it is quite new. It should be forcibly represented to the persons of the latter class, where they have to seek for beauty and enjoyment; they should be exhorted to remember that no portion of the work, however attractive its charms even when detached, can retain its full value anywhere but in its proper order, in the place which the master assigned it. The work is to be procured; let the public judge for themselves. G. S.

Tübingen, 26th November, 1859.

SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE FINE ARTS.

THE adjourned annual general meeting of this society was held on Thursday evening, at the society's rooms, 9, Conduitstreet, Regent-street; Mr. H. Ottley in the chair.

The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said that this was an adjourned meeting from the 15th of December last, for the further consideration of the report of the council, adopted upon the motion of a member of the society, seconded by another member, both formerly members of the council; and he regretted to find that neither the mover nor seconder of that motion was present that evening. What grounds they had for moving an adjournment, therefore, he was at a loss to say; and he should regret if members had been, through their action, put to the inconvenience unnecessarily of coming down twice for the one purpose. The council, however, were glad of any indication on the part of members of takinga direct active part in the conduct of the affairs of the society, and he thought it not improbable that some valuable suggestions might be educed through the circumstance of this adjournment. Before formally putting the question that the report be adopted, he might be permitted to make a few observations upon the scope and purpose of the society, whch were not fully appreciated by those who had only taken a superficial view of the matter. The promoters of this society went upon the principle that the fine arts were not merely a luxury, an elegant enjoyment, but a necessity in the mental culture of mankind; that they were as necessary to the full enjoyment of our mental endowments as food, raiment, air, and light are to our physical condition. Viewed in this sense, anything which tended to spread the influence of these arts amongst the general community must confer a benefit upon society by enlarging the field of enjoyment, and elevating the character of our kind. By these means, and this was in itself a great consideration, we established a common field open to allhigh and low, rich and poor-when the cares of the world and the dross of worldly pursuits are forgotten amid aspirations of beauty, leading to communion with the Creator of all beauty and all good. (Hear, hear). And this position, which he ventured to advance, was no new one; it had been recognised ages ago, in the remote ages of antiquity. Plato spoke of "the beautiful and the good," if not as identical and the same, at least as being inseparably allied, and he described the love of them, which is implanted in the human soul, as "the inextinguishable desire which like has for like, which the divinity within us feels for the divinity revealed to us in beauty." This being recognised as a principle in nature, should it not be held as common to all,

of universal influence through all possible forms of manipulation. | (Hear, hear.) One essential feature in the organisation of this society was that it recognised and brought together all the fine arts, whether appealing through the ear, or the eye, or the thoughts, in common union; and, curious enough, a modern authority, almost within our time, had, with exquisite naïveté, given an illustration of this idea. Goethe said: "One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, and read a good poem, and see a fine picture; and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words”—implying that that which tended to elevate and purify the mind through the influence of images of beauty improved the capacity of men for rational discourse. (Hear, hear). He was glad to be able to announce that the opening soirée of the season, to be held on the 26th instant, would be signalised by a union of the arts of music and painting in an agreeable manner. The soirée, by kind permission of Mr. Wallis, would be held at the Suffolk-street Gallery, where that gentleman's splendid collection of modern pictures were exhibited, and the Vocal Association would give a performance of madrigals and other choral music, conducted by M. Benedict and Dr. Pech. (Hear, hear.) There was nothing in the report which was not in strict conformity with what had been set forth by the society in its prospectus on its establishment, and which had been approved and confirmed by the members. One of the most leading features of the society would be the award of prizes, which would not be esteemed so much for their money value as for being sheer testimonals of merit. This practice prevailed in societies in Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and other towns, and the prizes given by the art societies in those places were eagerly sought after by even the highest men amongst artists themselves. The system of prizegiving in the arts had been adopted above 100 years ago by the Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures and Arts, which distributed awards not only in the manufactures and in workmanship, but for productions in painting, sculpture, and engraving. The prizes were, at first, of small value, but they afterwards rose to the sum of £140. Mr. Pye, in his work entitled the "Patronage of British Art," said, "Subsequently, it gave to persons of mature age, as rewards of merit in painting, sculpture, architecture, and engraving, gold and silver medals, and sums of money, various in amount. The premiums of painting and sculpture, as the society acquired strength, ranged from small sums, as high as to £140 each; and manufacturers and commerce were equally encouraged. The annual distribution of prizes was a scene of great ceremony and display, witnessed by an immense number of persons; reports of which being spread throughout the country by the daily papers awakened fresh emulation; whilst the various residences of the successful candidates gave frequent evidence that the society's influence had extended to the continent of Europe and America. And the City of London became so sensible of the society's importance, that in 1765 the Common Council voted to it a benefaction of £500. From its commencement in 1754 to 1778, it distributed in premiums and bounties £24,616 48. 8d. of which £16 219 19s. 8d. was given to reward merit in science, and £8,325 58. to merit in the polite arts." The Society of Arts, in the Adelphi, next gave prizes as encouragement to young students in the fine arts, and he knew personally that Sir Thomas Lawrence greatly prized a silver pallet which had been given to him, when a student, by that society. The Society of Arts, however, had now abandoned that system of prize giving in respect of the Arts of Design, it having been superseded by what was done at the South Kensington Museum in that department of the fine arts. The prizes that their society proposed to give, were not intended for boys, for copies of the antique, but being a society with a high appreciation of art, it would give prizes to the artists of the day, to those who had executed works which brought distinction to the art of the country. A number of unknown critics wrote in the public press on the fine arts, and artists were either gratified or depressed, according to the opinion that was there passed upon their productions, but how much more would artists appreciate the opinions passed upon their works, when the men who passed them were capable of

judging of art. This society was at present but in its infancy, but he believed that the day would come when the prizes it awarded would be looked to as the highest honours that artists could receive. A great principle that the council had in view was to unite all the arts, including poetry and music-and, indeed, with respect to poetry, a gentleman had given £5 towards a prize to be awarded for the best essay on the relation of poetry to the fine arts. He would now resume the motion which had been put at the previous meeting-that the report then read be received and adopted.

Mr. C. D. Lewis asked a question as the means of the society to give prizes, and

Mr. Alfred Gilbert suggested that a prize be set apart for music.

The Chairman said that the prizes would not be of any intrinsic value, although they would not be beneath notice, and he opined that the society would have ample means to provide them, seeing that it had been calculated, as had been stated in the report, that there would in the ensuing year be a surplus balance of £90. They intended to give two prizes in painting; one would be a square ivory or wood pallet, the "Reynolds pallet," with a silver handle, and that which would be awarded for landscape or genre would be a silver pallet. A bronze medal would be given for sculpture, and the same for architecture. He believed that all the prizes could be given under the stated sum of £40. As to the omission of music among the list of prizes, it struck him as being unjust; nay, considering the valuable assistance they had already received from the members of the musical profession at their soirées, it appeared to him as ungrateful. But it was in a great measure an oversight on the part of the council, as too much importance could not be attached to music as a branch of the fine arts.

After some remarks from Mr. Atkinson,

The Chairman said that on the 26th of this month they were going to have a grand assembly at the Suffolk-street Gallery, by the kind permission of Mr. Wallis, whose splendid collection of modern pictures adorned the walls. The Vocal Association had volunteered their valuable assistance on the occasion. M. Benedict and Dr. James Pech would conduct on this occasion(Hear, hear)-and there would be sixty of the finest voices of the association. Under such circumstances it could not fail to be a most attractive meeting. A circular would be sent round to all the members, each of whom could have two tickets, which would be transferable. (Cheers.) They had lost some members of the council, who had resigned, but he believed that that would not be productive of any, the least, injury to the society, as it would come out this year with, if anything, a stronger and more vigorous council. The chairman then read a list of the new members, who amounted to twenty-three.

Mr. Gilbert moved a resolution that poetry and music be added on the list for prizes.

Mr. Blakely suggested that until the society gained strength they should be careful as to the adoption of too many proposals, as nothing could be done without means.

The Chairman said the society had the means of adopting their proposals. By their adopting such proposals, the public would know what they were, and in due time would appreciate them. They would not then want to go about and ask noblemen to join them; they would not require tinsel and tawdry; for their value in the art-world would be acknowledged, esteemed, and appreciated.

The amendment having been put, was carried unanimously. The Chairman said, that as some difficulty might be felt in giving a prize in music, be would like to hear Mr. Gilbert state his views on the subject. Thereupon,

Mr. Gilbert said, men of acknowledged reputation, such as Mr. Balfe, and others, were not at all likely to compete, but that the competition would be very ardent among rising musiciaus. He would suggest that a prize should be offered for the best essay on the "Science of Music," as in these days music was almost entirely neglected as a science. He would also suggest that there should be a prize for the best production in music, such as for a symphony or an overture; and he believed that there were hundreds in London who had the ability to

write symphonies and overtures, but who had not the means of getting them performed.

The Chairman said that the suggestion should be instantly taken into consideration by the council, and he trusted that Mr. Gilbert, from whom the suggestion had come, would help them in carrying it out, by inducing other composers to send in their music, which would be tried by the society once a month at a meeting, when competent judges would be present to decide as to its merit. Mr. Rosenthal asked why engravers in the fine arts should be excluded, seeing that good engravers must necessarily be good artists. He moved a resolution accordingly, which Mr. Edmeston seconded.

on the marvellous. Notwithstanding the various changes and extensions made during this progress towards perfection, the original principle pervades the entire range, whether the instrument be confined to a scale of four octaves, or is by some clever contrivance spread out to seven. The sounds are not produced from wood or string, but by metal strings termed reeds, which are made to vibrate by a current of air generated from bellows put into motion by the feet of the performer. By this contrivance the powers of the instrument are rendered subservient to an individual, and a complete band of music can be represented without any assistance from a second party. Armed with such is really an instrument of great value, and, becoming rapidly known as an advantage, in conjunction with others yet unnamed, the harmonium such, the progressionists-those whom we have specially quoted--are now "leading the world in their train."

The Chairman said that the council would take into consideration these suggestions, and if they found a difficulty in carrying out the scheme which had been just proposed, they would take an early opportunity of communicating with the members; though they would certainly make great exertions to accomplish what had been suggested. He believed that another matter worthy the consideration of the society was whether cases of struggling genius should not be singled out for wrapping the bronze prize in a £5 bank note, and whether a small subscription should not be raised for that purpose. He knew artists who were now living in flourishing circumstances, who, a few years ago, were involved in the greatest difficulties. There were many such cases, and he thought that if in such instances, besides giving a prize testimonial of merit, they gave, say a £10 note, the money would be valued at that time more than it would be at any other period of life.

Mr. Z. Bell moved a resolution that the prize committee consist exclusively of professional men. Mr. Rosenthal seconded the motion.

A discussion ensued, in which the Chairman, Mr. Edmeston, Mr. Rosenthal, and other gentlemen took part, and Mr. Bell, at last, at the suggestion of the Chairman, agreed to withdraw his motion, in order that it might be more fully discussed at a special meeting on the subject. It was further agreed that in the circular convening the meeting, which would be sent to all the members, notice would be given of the motion.

The report, as amended, was then agreed to, and there being no further business to be transacted, the meeting separated,

after a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

CHURCH MUSIC.-HARMONIUMS FOR
CHURCHES.

(From The Church Remembrancer.) As acquaintance with the mechanism of musical instruments, and the physical agency by which "effects" are produced, very frequently imparts a new pleasure to the music itself, and the intelligent listener may, to a great extent, realise the gratification of the more amply endowed artist, who by lip, bow, or touch of finger, has the power to call sweet sounds into being. But there is one instrument from which neither has, till very recently, been able to derive unalloyed gratification-one whose inventor had to do fierce battle with strong prejudices, as well as with sound objections, being meanwhile sensible of an existing defect beyond the grasp of a countervailing remedy. We allude to the Harmonium. When first introduced by M. Debaine, the inequality of power distributed through the key-board, and the peculiar character of sound, which was harsh and disagreeably metallic, left a strong impression on the mind that such an instrument was not likely ever to become a favourite one with the public, or that it would ever extend itself beyond the rank of a huge sound-creating toy. Once brought into notice, other minds beside that of M. Debaine were exercised upon improvements, and thus the first crude idea gradually unfolded itself, until M. Alexandre, of Paris, and Mr. Evans, of London succeeded in bringing its powers and beauties into full view, and have thereby given instances of the triumph of genius to an extent bordering

The uses to which the harmonium chiefly commends itself are the the services of the sanctuary does not possess the compound stops of the organ. It has only double and single octave stops; any note may be made to produce its octave and double octave: nothing more. Very satisfactory reasons are given for this, but chiefly that the harmonic thickening would produce disorder by the inevitable inversion and spreading of the chords-ninths would give out seconds and sevenths; seconds, sevenths, and ninths; and so with regard to the whole series -and because, in order to remain in true musical condition with such stops, it would be needful to use them only in pieces written in counterpoint invertible in octave, which is not done. The drawingand power to imitate different instruments. With a full complement of fifteen stops the music of a complete band is at the disposal of a single performer, although a critical ear would very soon discover the distance of the relationship, assumed by some of the solo stops to their great orchestral prototypes. For educational purposes the school harmonium is admirably adapted, seeing that it has sufficient capacity for the carrying out many a needful and an invaluable project. There is also another well worthy of attention viz., the Piano-Harmonium, an invention that gives the player the power of sustaining for an indefinite time a note, chord, or an arpeggio extending through the compass of the keyboard after the fingers have ceased to press the keys. The prolongation of sound may occur with different degrees of intensity according to the register appended to it. Affixed to this instrument are two "kneepieces" put in action by the knees of the player; the one to the right produces a prolongation of the sounds on the treble side; that on the left applies to the bass register: the swell and diminuendo are blended in a way similar to that of the ordinary harmonium, viz., pressure of the foot upon the bellows. The instruments thus far referred to, are of French manufacture under M. Alexandre; but there is yet another and Harmonium," with two rows of keys; and, as if to anticipate every a more extraordinary one named "The New Patent English Model admirable deputy for the king of instruments is supplied with a comwant of the highly skilled as well as of the less gifted organist, this plete set of German pedals of two octaves and a fourth, with independent pedal reeds-so that the Organo-Harmonium which owes its paternity to Mr. Evans may and ought to be considered as the ne plus ultra of the art, as it is in fact the nearest approach to the organ, both in point of delicacy, beauty, and usefulness, that has hitherto courted public examination.

room harmonium differs from that of the church in its varieties of tone

Varied as the purposes are to which the instrument may be made available, its own proper sphere is that where sacred vocal music requires artificial aid. The sounds of the harmonium, being of rather slow emission, are better adapted for the legato style than any other, and peculiarly suitable to tender melodies and slow movements. It also possesses other important claims to notice, especially from those who take an interest in the singing at churches "remote from cities." The time has passed away when the clerk was your only singer, or the few unskilled monopolists in the gallery were allowed to distract the mind of the devout worshipper with conflicting ideas of music by their unmeaning sounds. The time has arrived for "the art divine" to assert its power, and to show its importance when rightly directed. Who can calculate its future triumphs, or set limits to its reign ? Musical knowledge must extend; and it is incumbent upon all who are able, to aid in its diffusion. The efforts that are being continually made by the clergy and others in crowded districts, in order to further congregational singing, are well worthy consideration by every true friend of the Church in every nook and corner of this highly-favoured isle; and there appears to be no impediment whatever to successful attempts. In small country churches, where there are no funds to purchase an organ, or where, if a patron be found to present one, an organist could not be paid, the barmonium ably supplies its place. The ease with which