ard others say that the music of the masters is dull, and not
beautiful, but that is really not what the people feel. It is
difficult for them to play the music rightly. And again they cannot
understand this: that art is often simple in, its truth, while those
who look upon it are not! simple-hearted, as they regard it. This is
hard to understand, but it is the true reason."

Now, if we think of what this cultured lady said, we shall think her
wise. Whatever stumbling we may do with our fingers, let us still keep
in our minds the purity of the music itself. This will in a sense
teach us to regard reverentially the men who, from early years, have
added beauties to art for us to enjoy to-day. The wisest of the Greeks
[41] said:

"The treasures of the wise men of old, which they have left written in
books, I turn over and peruse in company with my friends, and if we
find anything good in them, we remark it, and think it a great gain,
if we thus become more attracted to one another."

Once an English lady[42] wrote about a verse-writer: "No poet ever
clothed so few ideas in so many words." Just opposite to this is a
true poet, he who clothes in few words many and noble ideas. A master
tells his message in close-set language.

Now, in the last minutes, let us see what a great master is:

I. He will be one who tells a beautiful message simply.

II. He has been willing to sacrifice and suffer for his art.

III. He has lived his every day in the simple desire to know his own
heart better.

IV. Always he has concentrated his message into as few tones as
possible, and his music, therefore, becomes filled to
overflowing with meaning.

About the meaning of the masters, one of them has written this:
"Whenever you open the music of Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven, its
meaning comes forth to you in a thousand different ways." That is
because thousands of different messages from the heart have been
_concentrated_ in it.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE LESSER MASTERS.

"And the soul of a child came into him again."--_I Kings, XVII: 22._

If, one day, some one should say to you, earnestly: "Well day are to
you!" you would scarcely know what to make of it. You would at once
understand that the person had knowledge of words but could not put
them together rightly. And if the person continued to talk to you in
this manner you might feel inclined to lose your patience and not
listen. But if you woul