PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS—SECTION I. 195 
eventually conceal the sham, but, as a rule, no such excuse or 
explanation is possible. Gable ends, again, are designed which 
would be artistic, were any apparent use assigned to them; but 
when this is absent, the structure itself becomes a visible pretence, 
and therefore false in art. In connection with this subject 
generally, it may be remarked, it is fortunate that the study of 
drawing and design should be so congenial to Australian taste, as 
in the future it must become a matter not merely of private but 
of national importance. From absence of the artistic element, 
the mother country, to within a recent period, suffered severely 
in the markets of the world in her competition with other nations 
more advanced in art-culture. But the cause of this commercial 
failure was recognised at last, and, owing to their beauty of design 
and ornamentation, combined with perfect workmanship, the 
fabrics of England, whether textile, fictile, or otherwise, are now 
rapidly assuming that high position to which they are so well 
entitled. In glass manufacture, indeed, England already outstrips 
all competitors, even her old rivals of Venice and Bohemia. 
The remaining but not least important subject of the section is 
Music. It must be admitted that the genial environments and 
conditions of Australasian life are in some way peculiarly 
propitious to the development and cultivation of taste for the 
Fine Arts, because as in painting, so also in music, the outlook is 
all its most ardent votary could desire. We know that at home 
this delightful art has made astonishing progress within compara- 
tively recent times. Probably the enthusiastic and judicious 
encouragement given to it by the Royal Family has contributed 
much to this advance, but the widespread culture of music 
throughout all classes must be due in part to increased pecuniary 
means and material prosperity, and partly also to the general 
education of the day rendering the masses more susceptible and 
more appreciative of all finer influences. Be this as it may, it 
can safely be affirmed that these colonies, in their devotion to 
music, are in no way behind the mother country, if they do not 
in fact even surpass her. Australian artists indeed have gained 
European distinction in both instrumental and vocal music. In 
the former, we learn that Johann Kruse, of Victoria, has more 
than fulfilled the brilliant promise of his youth, having already 
achieved that high position foreshadowed for him by endowments 
of no common order, whilst his young and gifted compatriot, 
Ernest Hutchinson, is steadily following in his footsteps, with 
every prospect of eventually securing for himself an equal meed 
of fame and of reflecting equal credit on the land of his birth. 
The attainments of Florence Menk-Meyer, pianiste and composer, 
are too well recognised by the public to require any very special 
mention. In vocal music, another daughter of Victoria, Madame 
Melba, has actually taken rank with the greatest singers of the 
day, having been acclaimed by enthusiastic audiences a queen of 
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