where so much
attention is paid to music, and where almost every girl and
boy is taught to thrum the piano, so few acquire, or even
seek to acquire, the art of playing on the violin. The
piano, to be sure, is a more representative instrument,
enabling one pair of hands to grasp the whole harmony of a
composition, or a compendium thereof; but the violin, with
the other members of its family, viola, 'cello, &c., is the
more social instrument, bringing together groups of kindred
spirits who can play in parts, and read together the
quartets, &c., of the greatest masters, or play sonata duos,
trios, &c., with the piano-forte. And the string-instruments
are infinitely the most expressive: their tones lie nearer
to the soul, spring more directly from the human breast.
They are the heart of the whole orchestra, the most
essential part of music, next to the human voice. It is a
graceful, manly, healthy exercise, to play the violin. If it
be very difficult to play it like an artist, so much the
worthier of a manly aspiration. If it is often only vulgar
_fiddling_, it is, on the other hand, with those truly
schooled, the most gentlemanly of instruments. And we
maintain that it is equally the most womanly. We have many
times expressed our interest in female violinists. Who that
has seen and heard Camilla Urso, or Teresa Liebe, or Mr.
Eichberg's accomplished pupil, Persis Bell, could fail to
feel that the violin seemed peculiarly fitted to the female
constitution and capacity? How graceful the attitude and
motions of a young woman skilfully handling the bow! Her
finer sense of touch, her delicate tact, her instinctive
feeling-out of the pure truth of tone, give woman a great
advantage in this art; and the several examples we have had
from time to time in the concerts of the Boston Conservatory
of Music have shown that this was no mere dream."

But the limits of this book will not permit me to go much farther into
this alluring subject. I shall therefore close this chapter by a brief
reference to those who occupy the really noble positions of teachers
of the sublime art of music.

He whose own mind has been illumined and whose own soul has been
especially cheered and enlarged by the various contemplations, the
studies and conceptions, of art, will not, in fact can not, hi