, yet always with an effect of the utmost
lightness of poise. The piece is vividly suggestive of a
water-lily floating delicately on quiet water, but in the
questioning little middle section something seems to disturb the
water, and for a moment the flower rocks uneasily. The opening
theme returns and the piece ends with the utmost delicacy of
effect. _To a Water-lily_ is generally admitted to be one of the
most exquisite and perfect lyrics MacDowell ever composed for the
pianoforte.

7. _From Uncle Remus_ (_With much humour; joyously_). American
youngsters delight in the negro tales of "Uncle Remus," and this
piece opens with an unbridled joviality that continues to the
end. There is a wealth of jolly humour that is delightfully frank
and infectious without being commonplace. It is rich and real,
with a breadth that was a captivating feature of MacDowell's
personal sense of humour.

8. _A Deserted Farm_ (_With deep feeling_). A deeper note is
struck in this piece, the opening theme being very grave. Later a
wistful tenderness comes over the whole, but the grave melody
returns and in this mood the piece ends. The whole atmosphere of
it is one of loneliness, and, except for a sonorous bar or two,
its expression is subdued. It gives an impression of the quiet
that hangs around an old country home long since deserted, where
human life once existed with all its joys and sorrows.

9. _By a Meadow Brook_ (_Gracefully, merrily_). This goes
bubbling and sparkling along, now swirling round a little rock,
now running over a little waterfall, but always going merrily on
until softer and softer grows the tonality, finally vanishing
from musical sight. The piece is purely a play of tone, but never
shallow, for it suggests not only a particular type of Nature
scene, but the significance of the beauty and goodness it
symbolises.

10. _Told at Sunset_ (_With pathos_). This piece is of some
importance from the fact that it contains thematic allusions to
two of the preceding numbers. It opens with a sad, reflective
theme that is reminiscent of _A Deserted Farm_. It proceeds for
nineteen bars, dying softly away high in the scale. After a
moment's silence, a softly breathed, but firmly emphasised
marching tune appears, marked _Faster sturdily_. It grows
gradually louder until it is thundered out in its full strength,
with something of the nervous accentuation peculiar to Elgar's
music. It dies gradually away again, until nothing is