worship, it gave utterance to lofty tones, but stammering in its new tongue. During the middle ages, it found its phraseology; harmony gained a footing. While this was sufficiently rich and mechanically well-arranged for the purpose intended, the expression remained at first specifically musical. Composers cared primarily for the music, and contented themselves with adapt. ing it, or nearly so, to the general sense and character of such words as were written for operas, not to speak of the strange things which history relates of the church-music. Only by degrees was the necessity felt of words well arranged as to sound. If beautiful ideas and pleasant fancies, connected with rhythmical and well-measured verse, were used, it was more by accident than otherwise. Musicians were only partially cultivated, and inexperienced in matters that did not appertain immediately to their science. On the one hand they were entirely devoted to the mere necessary studies of their profession-the almost labyrinthian mass of attainments, difficult to be acquired, but indispensable; on the other hand, an exclusive, passionate sensitiveness pervaded them, which forgot to manifest itself otherwise than through the | impulse of their art. This, too, required intense mechanical exercises; so that musicians lost their intellect and their time in a sea of sounds, the splendors and storms of which left no room in their minds for other than matters of fact. As these collected elements separated themselves into their several kinds and species, the knowledge of some of which was easily acquired, and that of others deemed unnecessary, musicians emancipated themselves more and more from the shackles of their profession, and ceased to be wholly absorbed by it.

The not unprejudiced opinion, that men of genius and talent can not shine in more than one department, which finds its popular expression in the maxim, "Shoemaker, stick to thy last," we can not entertain. Genius and talent, however special, are found only in those who, abstractly from their specialty, are well organized. The lives of eminent men sufficiently prove that, even if they have neglected the cultivation of their capabilities in other than their special department, unless where faults of character obscured their qualities, they have still evinced their general talent.

which suddenly showed him the whole power and strength which music
might add to dramatic expression, and which ripened in him the determina-
tion to master the science of music, that he might be at once poet and com-
poser.
It was soon evident to him that the musical share which Beethoven
had given to the drama was insufficient, and far from accomplishing the de-
sired end, in that the musical interest was confined to the entre-acts, when.
the audience, fatigued with their attention to the anti-musical part, had only
listless and inattentive ears.

Anti-musical, we have said, in relation to "Egmont;" and the expression
is justifiable, since the pre-eminent excellencies of this work address them-
selves especially to deep reflection. The Queen Regent, Machiavelli, Alba, and
Orange, are the important characters of this drama, and the beauties of these
portraits are hardly such as music prefers to heighten by its peculiar bril-
lianey. Beside, the scenes in which the above characters appear, are those
most striking ones where the poet represents how vain and transient is
popularity, a much more fragile support than the straw to which the drown-
ing man clings. The peculiar character of the drama is therefore political
throughout. We do not overlook the fact, that the love-episode interwoven
with the drama invests it with that especial power of attraction which keeps
it on the stage. But this is no reason that this should be esteemed the best
part of the piece by those to whom capability to write is not proof of the
greatest excellence. St. Augustine defines virtue as moderation and order in
love. May we not claim that perfection in art is moderation and regularity
in beauty? In order to rightly estimate the manifold beauties with which
Goethe has invested the political portion of his tragedy, we must know the
history and the people of that time; but the acquisition of this knowledge
will make a love like that of Egmont and Clara, an anachronism irreconcila-
ble with the life of the former. The masterly scene in Walter Scott's "Ken-
ilworth," where the young maiden admires the handsome count in the full
splendor of his court-costume, believing herself to be the only love of the
youthful Leicester, moves us deeply. But the difference of age between Eg-
mont and Leicester, produces a similar difference in the impression derived
from the love scenes of the novel and the tragedy, whether to the reader or
the spectator. The love of Egmont, who, at the time of the catastrophe
which ended his life, might well have been the father of one of the age of
Leicester at the period of his affection for Amy Robsart, will excite a painful
sensation in the breast of every spectator at all familiar with history. He
will ask himself, how it is possible that Egmont could have so loved a young
and thoughtless girl, without bestowing even an instant's thought upon the
family of which he was the head? The development of the love scenes is
certainly as excellent in its way as that of the political. We are seduced by
the charms of the beloved Clara, and we love him no less than her, as long
as we see him in her presence, With Alba and Orange this interest disap-
pears; the qualities he then displays belong to maturity. If it is unpleasant
to look upon fruit destroyed by the worm before it has ripened, or upon the
spectacle of a youth who has lost all hope in the goodness and justice of
mankind, so much the more painful is that of a man ripe in years, who re-
tains a most unpardonable naïveté, and falls a sacrifice to his own imprudence
and misplaced confidence. The hero who dreams of freedom wearing the
features of his Clara, appears to us an unfledged youth in his innocent sim-
plicity. None the less moved is the public for whom isolated emotions suf-
fice. They are drawn out by the love-scenes and the vision in the dungeon;
and often the most important, the political part of the tragedy, is omitted;
sometimes, even, as on the stage at Dresden, such characters as Margaret and
Machiavelli are wholly dispensed with. Beethoven, following the multitude,
neglected the historical part of the piece. The pure and genuine sorrow
that fills the heart of Clara, and the songs so well adapted for musical ex-

By degrees, musicians ceased to live exclusively in their ideal world. They went beyond the mere practice of their art, and were esteemed as gifted men, even by those who were not musical. In our day, mankind have not only ceased looking upon musicians as curious phenomena, half-divine, giving heavenly songs to men; half-simpletons, entitled to equivocal respect or most unequivocal neglect. They are acknowledged as men who recognize the obligation of self-culture in all things, and some of whom can deal with words as well as tones. Music has gradually appropriated to its own use literary productions of every kind. At the theatre, in the concert, in vocal and instrumental compositions, it transfers to itself abstracts, mottoes, devices, titles-all the expressions of the poem, the drama, and the romance. It scarcely loses a moment of modern poetic life, while it ransacks remotest antiquity for its subjects. From the east and from the north it seeks out materials and colors for its tone-painting. A strong magnetic bond unites the two manly forms of thought and feeling, poetry and music. Literature, we know, still arrogates superiority to itself, but we already find it forced to proclaim aloud its ancient privileges, in order to bring them to remembrance. The musical press is more and more active, and gains new interpreters. Already journalism finds one of its most fruitful sources in musical polemics; and the representatives of the several parties, [rogressive and retrogressive, forge for themselves well-made and polished weapons. The immediate result of the sudden elevation of the standard of musical science, is seen in the fact that poetry, which aims at nothing more than a rhythmic medium for musical expression, or to furnish a text for the vocalist, no longer suits our great composers, who seek musical inspiration from nobler poetic sources. While Schubert directed his genius to the best of the German lyrics, Beet-pression, attracted him. And so, also, undoubtedly, the constant striving for hoven, with firmer grasp, seized hold of tragedy itself. plete the attempt of the latter may appear to us, it was of a more lasting influence-it was a striving after progress, the effect of which is felt in the present condition of our opera texts. Schubert's problem was in detail more quickly solved than Beethoven's, but it was none the less reserved for the latter's attempt upon "Egmont" to be a far-shooting arrow, whose progress the genius that sped it hardly divined. Wagner is no more contented even with master-works for his music. He claims for our age the revival of Grecian dramatic art, with other forms and wealth—an inseparable, appropriate, and mutually-benefiting union of the music and the drama-a union which is an unavoidable identification the one with the other. Wagner was a poet before he commenced his musical studies, and strived in many a tragedy to emulate the models of a Shakespeare. It was a representation of "Egmont"

However incom

freedom which so harmonized with the longing for German independence, that he shared in common with many of his time. This feeling manifests itself especially in the masterly apotheosis which concludes the overture. When Beethoven composed these fragments, he pointed out a new road to art; with mighty hand he felled the first tree of this untrodden forest; he first laid his hand to the work, and removed the first obstacles. The world looked on with no especial interest, but the time was to come when art should tread this path, and soon after Beethoven it found the roads all cleared and leveled.

EFFECT OF MUSIC ON ANIMALS.-Professor Luigi Metoxa, of Rome, has published an account of some singular experiments made by him on snakes, in order to ascertain the extent of the assertion of the ancients respecting those

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WEBER's duties at the opera, in Dresden, taxed so much his time as well as his health, that he repeatedly solicited the engagement of a second conductor, but always in vain. In a letter to Gottfried Weber, dated Feb. 13, 1824, we find the following with regard to this matter: "The weight of my occupations, which I have still to bear alone, is scarcely any more endurable, and now they will engage a man under me who does not suit ine. I do not write any thing, and have a real indigestion of music, from the many rehearsals and performances, in all languages and styles. Perhaps in summer I shall regain my old inclinations, and then I will finish the comic opera, words by Theodor Hell'The Three Pintos.""

The summer came, but no change for Weber. His health became poor, and he could compose but very little. About this time he received an invitation from London, and, also, one from Paris, to write an opera for the theaters there. He felt very much disposed toward accepting the invitation from England. A dark presentiment told him that his life would be of short duration, and he, consequently, was anxious to profit as much as possible by the short time, which, he thought, was left