"The Boston
Commonwealth") thus expressively sings the story of the ancient
troubadour, styling him--

"THE POET OF OLD."

Once the poet wandered,
With his lyre in hand,--
Wandered, singing, harping,
On from land to land.

Like a bird he hovered;
And, where'er he came,
Kindled he each bosom
With his song to flame.

Careless of the morrow,
Journeyed he along;
Opened every portal
To the sound of song.

_Sua sponte_ heart's-ease
In his bosom grew:
Happiness as birthright,
Like the gods, he knew.

All life's haps and changes
On his chords he rung:
Every thought, emotion,
In him found a tongue.

Voiced he for the lover
Passion of his breast;
Feigned he, death to lighten,
Islands of the Blest.

Up in ether throned he
Gods, the world to sway,--
Gods to bend and listen
While their votaries pray.

Soul and sense, enchanted,
Drank his accents in:
E'en to marble bosoms
He his way could win.

From her casement Beauty
Leaned his song to hear:
E'en the haughty conqueror
Bent a willing ear;

For without the poet
And his epic lay
Passed his vast existence,
Whirlwind-like, away,--

Trace nor vestige leaving
Where his legions trod,
Which the year effaced not
From the vernal sod.

Thus the poet wandered
In a nobler time,--
Wandered, singing, harping,
Free of every clime.

During the fourteenth century, music was most cultivated by the people
of the Netherlands, who carried the art towards much perfection,
producing several fine composers, and furnishing the leading musical
instructors for the other parts of Europe. Among some of the ablest
musicians of the Netherlands may be mentioned Dufay, Jan of Okenheim,
and Josquin Despres, the latter being the most celebrated of
contrapuntists. The Netherland musical supremacy lasted until 1563.

In the year 1400 the claims of music received the recognition of the
crown in England, a charter being granted to a regularly formed
musical society.

Commencing with the invention of movable type in 1502 (which invention
so vastly facilitated the publication and spreading of the thoughts of
the composer), and with the Reformation in the sixteenth century, the
noble art of mu