THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH. 295 



"I have been thinking," observed Penn, apparently 

 addressing himself to his mother, "that if music has 

 such a noble origin and use in nature as to utter the 

 love of one creature for another, the testimony which 

 our people — the Friends — bear against it might well be 

 reviewed." 



" Our people," answered Aunt Hannah, " bore their 

 testimony chiefly against the unspiritual and carnal use 

 of music in the worship of God, and I do not perceive 

 that the world has ceased to have need for a clear testi- 

 mony in that particular. Perhaps our fathers carried it 

 a little too far when they opposed the private use of 

 music, but thee knows that human nature is apt to go 

 to extremes, and the wise and good men of old chose 

 to be at least on the safe side. 



"I will not pretend to give an opinion upon the views 

 of our learned friend the Doctor. They may be true ; 

 but I can say that I know people who have a very in- 

 tense power of loving who have no music in their souls ; 

 and some who can sing to the fullest admiration of the 

 world's people who are as shallow in their aflectional 

 natures as a babbling brook. Now, I wouldn't expect 

 thee, Penn, if thee should ever fall in love, to vent thy 

 feelings in a moonlight serenade, for thee knows thee 

 can't tell 'Yankee Doodle' from 'Old Hundred,' or 

 'Home, Sweet Home' from 'Rosin the Bow.' " 



Penn blushed deeply under this home thrust, while 

 his mother continued : " And yet I know that thee has 

 a very deep and tender nature. But all this is out of 

 place, perhaps, and, if I am not mistaken, out of point, 



