w approaches
clad in black armour. It is Parsifal returned at length after long and
weary wanderings. Gurnemanz recognises the spear which he carries, and
salutes its bearer as the new guardian of the Grail. He pours water from
the sacred spring upon Parsifal's head, saluting him in token of
anointment, while Kundry washes his feet and wipes them with her hair.
The first act of Parsifal in his new office is to baptize the regenerate
Kundry, redeemed at length by love from her perpetual curse. Bowing her
head upon the earth, she weeps tears of repentant joy. The three now
proceed to the temple, where the knights are gathered for Titurel's
burial. Amfortas still obstinately refuses to uncover the Grail, and
calls upon the knights to slay him. Parsifal heals his wound with a
touch of the sacred spear, and taking his place, unveils the sacred
chalice, and kneels before it in silent prayer. Once more a sacred glow
illumines the Grail, and while Parsifal gently waves the mystic cup from
side to side, in token of benediction alike to the pardoned Amfortas
and the ransomed Kundry, a snowy dove flies down from above, and hovers
over his anointed head.

It would be in vain to attempt to treat, within the restricted limits of
these pages, of the manifold beauties of 'Parsifal,' musical, poetical,
and scenical. Many books have already been devoted to it alone, and to
these the reader must be referred for a subtler analysis of this
extraordinary work. It is difficult to compare 'Parsifal' with any of
Wagner's previous works. By reason of its subject it stands apart, and
performed as it is at Bayreuth and there, save for sacrilegious New
York, alone, with the utmost splendour of mounting, interpreted by
artists devoted heart and soul to its cause, and listened to by an
audience of the elect assembled from the four corners of the earth,
'Parsifal,' so to speak, is as yet surrounded by a halo of almost
unearthly splendour. It is difficult to apply to it the ordinary canons
of criticism. One thing however, may safely be said, that it stands
alone among works written for theatrical performance by reason of its
absolute modernity coupled with a mystic fervour such as music has not
known since the days of Palestrina.

Of Wagner's work as a whole it is as yet too early to speak with
certainty. The beauty of his works, and the value of the system upon
which they are founded, must still be to a certain extent a matter of
individual taste. O