128 HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SKETCH OF 



the greater part of our readers. To supply the de- 

 ficiency of ignorant teachers, books were printed, in 

 which- these mystic syllables are indicated by the 

 shape of the notes ; but these, of course, would 

 never be employed by a really competent teacher. 

 This book, however, Burbidge used. His class was 

 arranged in three divisions, forming three sides of a 

 square ; on the right sat the bass, in the centre the 

 air, and the treble on the left. He stood in the 

 centre. Then, after preluding a few notes, giving 

 the pitch to each of the parts in succession, the 

 music would commence, and he, with the palm of 

 his left hand turned upwards, and that of his right 

 downwards, would beat time, imitating the motions 

 of a top sawyer. His class was decorous, but de- 

 corum could not always resist the strange effect of 

 his solemn motions. We have seen mcsstri in vari- 

 ous opera-houses in Europe and America, and have 

 sometimes laughed at the enthusiasm they displayed, 

 but never did we see one more thoroughly occupied 

 in admiration of his work than this humble nicesti^o 

 of the village school. 



Humble as he was, however, he produced fruit 

 which was destined to be permanent. From the 

 practice of singing in this class, confidence was ac- 

 quired, and the church was no longer dumb. The 

 humble foundation being laid, a better taste began 

 to develop itself. But some of his tunes possessed 

 startling merit, and in the psalmody of those 



