for the fulfilment of his promise, except to eight-tenths
of those that remained.

Two months after the opening of the course M. Cheve printed at his own
expense a collection of one hundred and forty pieces of music from the
best composers, and gave a copy to each of his pupils, that they might
read from the printed page instead of the blackboard. Three months
after the opening of the course General Lascours visited the gymnasium
and was present during one of the lessons. He was struck, as were all
the visitors on that occasion, by the progress obtained. The pupils
were already far advanced in intonation and in time: they read easily
in all the keys, and sung pieces together with great spirit and
correctness.

On April 25, 1843, the general returned, accompanied by Madame
Lascours and all the officers of his staff. The following was the
programme of the occasion: (1) A quartette from Webbe; (2) A Languedoc
air in three parts, from Desrues; (3) A trio from the opera of
_[OE]dipus in Colonna_, by Sacchini; (4) Singing at sight intervals of
all kinds, major and minor; (5) Singing at sight in eight different
keys; (6) Two rounds in three voices from Siller; (7) A quartette from
the _Clemenza di Tito_ of Mozart; (8) A quartette from the _Iphigenia_
of Gluck; (9) A trio from the _Corysander_, or the _Magic Rose_ of
Berton; (10) Exercise upon the tonic in all the keys, major and minor;
(11) Exercise in naming notes vocalized; (12) Singing at sight a trio
from the _Magic Flute_ of Mozart; (13) _Ave Regina_, by Choron--three
voices; (14) The _Gondolier_, a round in three parts, by Desrues; (15)
A quartette from the _Magic Flute_; (16) Chorus from the _Tancredi_ of
Rossini; (17) The "Prayer" from _Joseph_, by Mehul.

This is certainly a remarkable programme to be filled by illiterate
soldiers with only six months' training. "It would be difficult," says
the official report, "to paint the astonishment of the spectators
upon this occasion. The confidence and readiness with which
these soldier-students of music sang at sight the most difficult
intonations, major and minor, the facility with which they read in all
the keys, and, finally, the certainty and spontaneity with which
they _all, without exception_, recognized and named various sounds
vocalized, showed clearly that they possessed a very superior
knowledge of intonation. All the pieces which they sung were rendered
with irreproachable correctness, though the professor did