XVIII 



Instrumental music and its evolution — A book that is wanted — 

 Fashion, caprice and selection — The piano made perfect — ^The 

 quality most desired in musical sound — A bird and insect 

 illustration — Naturalness of instrumental music — A bird- 

 voice and the power of expression — Human expression of 

 instrumental music — The harp — Obsolete and reigning in- 

 struments — A first experience of great music — Cause of 

 difierent effects produced by bird and human music — 

 Conclusion. 



COMING to the subject of instrumental music 

 in man, I consider it fortunate that I know 

 absolutely nothing of music as an art — as 

 music presents itself to the informed and the adept. 

 I know, that is to say, just as much about it as is 

 known to the vast majority of the inhabitants of this 

 country, who never had a music lesson and are unable 

 to read a note ; who hear no music in their homes nor 

 anywhere except in a church or chapel or concert- 

 room, if they ever go to such places, or when they 

 by chance hear a brass band in the street. 



It was but yesterday that a lady, getting up from 

 her seat at the piano and sweeping round upon me 

 like a queen of tragedy, exclaimed: "But you don't 

 understand! You can't know what music is to me! 

 It is my life ! " 



And that is precisely why I am pleased to think 

 I am not a musical person, since if I were that it would 



disqualify me from treating such a subject in a way 



299 



