ove away this evil
spirit by his skilful playing upon the harp, becomes easy to
understand, since the occurrence is thus divested of its miraculous
character.

But I must not fail to notice here the remark sometimes made, that the
study and practice of music do not always give to those engaged in the
same the graces of a true refinement; that even persons highly skilled
in the art are sometimes unamiable in manners, and coarse in habits.
To this I reply, that no art nor human agency is capable of elevating
every character to perfection; and that the exceptions above mentioned
become very noticeable, and cause surprise, because of the known good
influence upon the heart and mind generally exerted by the study and
practice of good music. Besides, all great musical "_stars_" must not
be classed with the conscientious, loving student of the art. Some
among the former, gifted with phenomenal voices or with rare powers
for instrumental performance, having reached, perhaps, with a few easy
strides, their high positions, and caring but little for music save as
it ministers to their vanity, conceit, or cupidity,--these have missed
that gradually unfolding _culture_ of the mind and heart that belongs
to the progress of one who conscientiously seeks to know music's
manifold beauties, and who with real appreciation for the beautiful in
art, _loving music for music's sake_, feels and exhibits in his
deportment towards his fellow-men its delightful and elevating power.

And here I cannot forbear to remark, that the musical education of the
youth of our country is not being pushed towards that state of
_thoroughness_ so necessary to a real comprehension and enjoyment of
the art. Nearly all intelligent parents are frequent, and even
fulsome, in their praises of music; and, when they speak or write of
it, the laudatory exclamation is often brought into use. And yet they
seem to be satisfied, generally, when their children obtain, by a mere
skimming over its surface, but a peep into the realities and refining
beauties of the science; when the favorite daughter in the use of the
piano-forte, for instance, becomes only the most wearisome of
"thrummers."

"The London World" is none too severe on the "accomplished" young lady
of the period, when it says,--

"The ordinary young lady can only play set pieces on the
piano that she has learned at the price of Heaven knows how
many valuable hours' practising. She never remembe