214 BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL, FESTIVAL. 



cation sui generis, and not, as is the case with them, to one arising 

 from the stimulus aiforded by Tune, as the fundamental faculty. 



The four faculties already enumerated are so essential to Music 

 that, by taking away any one, scarcely any thing remains worthy 

 of being called a composition. We now come to others which, how- 

 ever they may elevate, refine, and delight, are rather to be viewed 

 as producing differences of style than as contributing to the compo- 

 nent parts of music. 



At the head of these stands Veneralion, whose function it is to 

 produce respect and reverence towards any being, person, or thing, 

 superior, or supposed to be superior, to ourselves. It has impelled 

 men, in all ages and in all countries, to seek objects of worship, too 

 often without subjecting to the scrutiny of reason their claims to 

 adoration. In those benighted lands where the Creator was un- 

 known it drove them to prostrate mind and body before some physi- 

 cal existence, whose qualities seemed to render it his most fitting 

 representative. Even among the chosen people of God, such was 

 the over-activity of this feeling that, not content with the peculiar 

 privilege of direct communion with their Maker — not satisfied with 

 rendering homage where alone it is due — they were ever relapsing 

 into the idol worship of surrounding nations. The abuses of mis- 

 directed veneration meet us at every step in jierusing the records of 

 ancient history ; nor have modci-n times escaped the evils conse- 

 quent upon excessive and misapplied devotion. As the Jews were 

 dissatisfied with a pure theocracy, so were Roman Catholics with 

 the simple religion of the New Testament. They, too, must have 

 their images ; the Virgin and the saints were invested with super- 

 natural powers ; bread and wine were deified ; and the pope was 

 gifted with infallibility ! But, while we point out the mote in our 

 brother's eye, let us beware how we remain unmindful of the beam 

 in our own. Are we, in our age and country, free from the re- 

 proach of idolatry ? Alas ! though under a different aspect, it still 

 prevails among us. AVe no longer bow the knee before a golden 

 calf or carved image, but we prosti-ate the spirit before opinions, 

 forms, and observances, in reverencing which we fondly imagine we 

 are rendering to the Almighty acceptable service. The legitimate 

 object of the faculty of Veneration is the adoration of the Supreme 

 Being, and when directed into this pure channel it can scarcely be 

 carried to excess. 



Again, when we arc told that musical festivals are displeasing to 

 God, and that all who attend them arc breaking his laws, while 



