the rescue, and, in sundry compositions, especially in a
six-part mass, dedicated to Pope Marcellus II., shown that science need
not exclude clearness, and the possibility of hearing the words sung,
and that the truly inventive artist has no need to seek his themes in
inappropriate spheres.

In this day we run little risk of ship-wreck through too great an amount
of science. Scarlatti and Bach would laugh at the efforts styled 'canon'
and 'fugue,' by the aspiring tyros of the present age. Our difficulties
arise, not from musical complexity, but from want of suitableness,
adaptation, and characterization, together with the ever-increasing feud
between choir and congregational singing. In some churches on the
Continent of Europe, these two latter modes are happily blended, certain
services or portions of services being left to the choir, and the
remainder being entrusted to the entire congregation. Of course this
arrangement is only practicable where there is a certain variety in the
musical portion of the service. Where the singing of hymns (in the
ordinary sense of the phrase) is the only musical form used in the
worship, such differences would be difficult to establish, and a variety
of circumstances must determine which of the two modes, or what
combination of them, be selected by the congregation. Even where
splendor is studiously avoided, all desire order and decency in the
conduct of public worship, and such order is painfully violated where
discordant sounds or unsuitable selections of music are permitted to
distract attention and disturb devotion. A ragged carpet, faded fringes,
or dingy window panes, would speedily find a reformer; and surely the
sensitive, defenceless ear has as good a claim to exact order as the
more voluntary sense of seeing. Better, indeed, no music, than such as
binds the wings of the soul to earth instead of aiding them to fly
heavenward.

The above remarks apply as well to choir as to congregational singing.
Let us suppose now that the mere primal foundation--the mechanical
execution--be respectably good; that the congregation or choir have been
taught to sing in tune; that all be harmonious and properly balanced; in
short, that the auditory nerves be spared any very severe shock--and
what then will we ordinarily find? A few good old church melodies,
almost lost amid a dreary maze of the most recent droning platitudes, or
a multitude of worldly acquaintances, negro minstrelsy, ancient l