to their detriment in any way to reduce the standard of pitch which renders all their concerts so brilliant. The unquestionable fact, however, that two "pitches" would lead to confusion, is an addition of strength to the argument for the adoption of a musical pitch uniform with that regarded as the standard generally throughout Europe.

The pitch being as high as it is, it must at once be obvious that any rendering of Handel's music is not only incorrect, but irksome to the performer, from the strain on the voice, never contemplated by Handel. These two facts alone should suffice to convince the Sacred Harmonic Society, and the Italian Opera, who, with the Philharmonic Society, in the absence of a State Musical Conservatoire, are the virtual musical authorities in England, of the immediate necessity of dogmatically adopting some lower standard of pitch more acceptable to vocalists such as Lucca, Patti, Nilsson, and Mario, coming from countries where the high passages of Mozart's compositions are rendered comparatively easy of execution. To lose the advantage of having such eminent services would be a severe blow to music in Great Britain; yet such a loss may be considered not altogether as a vague speculation, noting the fact that the foremost English tenor has lately withdrawn from a society with whose concerts he has for many years been closely associated. Another fact of importance worth mentioning, which has to be taken into consideration by supporters of the high musical pitch, is that with the existing high pitch, stringed instruments, and especially violins, have to undergo an extraordinary tension, and one for which their makers eighty or a hundred years ago made no calculation. Such tension, it is needless to say, does much towards destroying the sonorousness of the instrument, and impoverishing the quality of tone-both of which ancient high-class violins are noted for.

In France, Prussia, Austria, and Russia, at the important musical centres, such as Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and St. Petersburg, a uniform pitch exists-A being at 435 vibrations per second. Of course, however, as throughout the world, the state of the atmosphere and the variations of the temperature affect the musical pitch of concerts in these countries. These natural circumstances are held by some persons of authority as sufficient to prove the inutility of adopting any standard of musical pitch. But this is a self-evident fallacy.

In 1860 the Society of Arts convened a meeting of scientific and musical men of eminence, who thoroughly ventilated the question of musical pitch. Two resolutions were agreed to at that meeting, the first of which ran thus: "That, in order to promote the acceptance of this pitch (C at 528 vibrations), and with the view to its general adoption in this country, the Society of Arts be requested to undertake the preparation of a standard tuning-fork." The second resolution invited the co-operation of military bands, musical instrument-makers,

Still

and others; but it appears, and perhaps fortunately, that no really practical result ever followed the discussion of these resolutions. Why a pitch of 528 vibrations for C* should have been selected it is not possible to surmise. It does not correspond with the pitches of France and Germany, and is merely a numeral reduction in the vibrations. The real point in reforming musical pitch is to establish a standard identical with what is adopted on the Continent generally. The difficulties attendant on the change of pitch are what arise from the necessity of supplying orchestras and musicians with wind instruments, such as piccolos, clarionets, bassoons, horns, &c., manufactured in accordance with the pitch accepted as the standard. This re-supply of instruments can only be done by money, and it is not improbable that to effect the change upwards of £25,000 would be required. In foreign countries, governed by autocrats the stroke of whose pens allots sums of money to be expended in promoting music, it is comprehensible that a uniformity of pitch prevails. But where a parliamentary government fails to appreciate the value derivable by giving assistance to the promotion of musical education to the nation it governs, such a reform as that now advocated becomes difficult. it is necessary; and some vigorous steps must be immediately taken; otherwise, with the tendency of the musical pitch to rise, and with the constant desire of leaders of orchestras to heighten the brilliancy of their concerts, and other numerous concomitants, the names of Mozart, Handel, and Mendelssohn will sink into oblivion, and their compositions will be set aside as impossible of execution. The excellent intentions and businesslike manner of dealing with matters which the Society of Arts has displayed, recommend that body as the one to work out the question of musical pitch reform-not, as before, upon the question of lowering the pitch, but upon the question of adopting for the United Kingdom the uniform pitch which prevails generally throughout Europe. The earnestness displayed by Messrs. Novello and Co. to give an impetus to musical pitch reform is to be noted, and their endeavours should receive the warmest support of "reformers." These gentlemen have announced that six concerts, in which Mr. Sims Reeves will sing, will be given at St. James's Hall, and the music is to be performed according to the French musical pitch. The sincerity of these concerts, and the object desired to be attained by them, is well exemplified by the fact that, besides re-scoring the parts for the wind instruments in use in Handel's time, such as bassoon, oboe, &c., Mr. Arthur Sullivan has added accompaniments for the modern wind instruments, tuned to the pitch of the French diapason, such as the cornet, trombone, &c., &c., to the oratorio of "Jephtha," which is the first oratorio of the series.

This would place A at 440 vibrations.

Apart from any action that may otherwise be taken, the effort, which appears to be of primary importance to the successful reform of musical pitch, is to secure the concurrence and co-operation of the musical bodies already mentioned; and these, at the present time, are absolute necessities for ensuring a real and permanent success to the movement of musical pitch reform. The reason that the harmonious action of two or three privately conducted musical bodies in the reform of musical pitch is so necessary, involves a few words upon the subject of State aid to music in the United Kingdom, although it is doubtless beyond the province of this paper to more than touch lightly upon that point. When, however, a question so important in its bearings to music generally is raised, foreigners and strangers may reasonably inquire why the Minister under whose charge music should come does not exert himself to bring about a wholesome and necessary reform which would be so acceptable to those interested. And not foreigners and strangers alone wonder, but Englishmen likewise, at the apathy shown by Government towards the promotion and support of music, whilst art and science are munificently cared for by the State. The arguments urged for, and which have obtained, State aid for art and science are every whit applicable to music. It cannot be supposed, though, that such arguments can effect much, unless placed before the Government by some high authority. Until this is done, as far as regards musical education, England will remain low in the scale of countries who hesitate not to procure the best means for extending every humanizing influence.

In the present instance it seems vain to look to Government for any contribution to the expense attendant upon the reform of musical pitch. The only hope that might be cherished is that the musical profession and dilettante of the country having without State aid, but it is to be trusted with the assistance of the Sacred Harmonic and other important societies, reformed one of the vitalities in music, Parliament will see the righteousness of giving substantial evidence of their approbation of individual efforts for the good of the country, by establishing a system of aiding musical education in the United Kingdom.

To say that, in the absence of such a system, the want of which is more and more poignantly felt every day, music in England will decline, is perhaps too desperate a prediction. Still there can be no doubt that much of the musical genius and talent of this country lies fallow and undiscovered from want of a proper rallying-point.

Strap Thoughts on the Use of Houge.

COLLECTED BY EDGAR A. BOWRING, C.B., M.P.

THE Italians tell a story of a lady who acknowledged to her father confessor that she rouged a little-in order, she said, to become more handsome and to please the young men. He at once gave her absolution, on the ground that the result was precisely the contrary.

A lady once asked an artist, who was painting her portrait, where he bought his colours. He told her it was at the same shop where she bought hers.

When Lord Chesterfield was asked what he thought of the ladies in Paris, he replied that he was "no judge of painting."

The Marquise de Beauveau was noted for her unceasing experiments in the use of rouge of different kinds, which led to the doubtful compliment being addressed to her, "Madame, I discover some fresh beauty in you every day."

A moralist will probably condemn rouge as being a fraud and a deception, and say that women would not thus colour their faces if they were capable of an honest blush, nor wear a mask if they were sincere.

A sermon by St. Vincenzo Ferreri is preserved, in which he uses the following strong language on the subject: "Women, when you come to appear before your Lord on His throne, He will say, 'Ye are not My creatures. I made your faces white; ye have made them red. Why have ye dared to touch up a picture painted by a Master's hand? Think ye that I know not how to paint, or that I need to be instructed by you? If ye have been to a painter who you fancy handles the pencil better than I, go to that painter! I will have none of you; I know you not! Ye are not women, but children of the devil.'"

On the other hand, a skilful arguer may make out a good case in favour of rouge. Why quarrel with a soft tinge spread like a thin gauze over two innocent cheeks? Art may surely be called in to embellish Nature-fiction is not falsehood. Quevedo used to say that Truth should not be painted naked. Why should not a woman copy the purple hue of modesty, the timid blush of bashfulness, the fire of insulted dignity? What colour so lifelike, so beautiful as red-the colour of youth, of freshness, of health? Flowers, fruit, the sky, are clothed in purple; the setting sun illumines with red the western horizon. Aurora is called by the poets "the rosy-fingered goddess;" and the swent-scented rose, the queen of flowers, is thought to be dyed with the pure blood of the Goddess of Love herself.

If it were not for the terrors of the Saint's sermon above quoted, one would be almost inclined to vote for rouge after all. But perhaps Monseigneur La Mothe, Bishop of Amiens, found the true solution. when consulted on the subject by a lady who was much embarrassed by the opposite opinions of her two confessors, one of whom saw no harm in the use of rouge, whilst the other refused to give her absolution for wearing it. "Madame," said the excellent bishop, "there's much to be said on both sides. I advise you to take a middle course, and paint one cheek only."