we have seen, has everywhere become melodious as soon as it has freed itself from the primitive stage of barbarism. . . . We are beginning to see the melodious phase already draw to its close. . . . The large melodies of Mozart, of Beethoven, of Bellini, of Verdi, &c., are as the song of the swan. The prevailing fashion, in which there is so much affectation is called harmonious music. It is the decline. . . . Musical art is withering, and it threatens to end as it began-in noise.'

Before discussing the truth of this melancholy conclusion, the meaning of the word Melody must be inquired into. What is Melody? Melody, as a genus, comprehends two species: first, the succession of sounds called Recitative or Declamation; and, secondly, the succession of sounds called Tune, or Air. Such is the strict meaning of the word; but popularly it is almost invariably used as equivalent to Tune, or Air. As there seems to be

no good reason for departing from the popular usage, the word Melody will be used in the latter and restricted sense in the following pages. It is in this sense, undoubtedly, that

Dr. Latourneau uses it.

Thanks to the efforts of Herr Wagner and his followers, Recitative shows no signs of decay; but are there sufficient grounds for accepting the gloomy vaticinations of the learned doctor? Is Melody, in truth, in a state of absolute decline? With profound respect for his erudition and abilities, we venture to disagree with the doctor: first, on physiological grounds; secondly, on historical grounds; and thirdly, from an examination of the nature of the attack upon Melody and the position and views of the assailants, Herr Wagner and his followers.

The physiological grounds on which we venture to differ from Dr. Latourneau are, of course, those derived from the law of Heredity.

The charm of musical sounds, from an Evolutionist's point of view, depends (as Professor Sidney Colvin tells us) upon susceptibilities which have gone on accumulating in the fibres of the human body by hereditary transmission through countless generations. Thus, if unimpeded by extraneous causes, the capacity of enjoying and of creating Melody would tend to increase from generation to generation—a further proof, which he could not have foreseen, of Comte's memorable aphorism: 'the empire of the dead over the living increases from age to age.' Causes may be conceived, no doubt, which would overcome the operation of the law of Heredity, and would produce a decrease of the capacity of creating and enjoying Melody in human beings; but in any case. (unless we lost our sense of hearing) the movement would be a continuous, not a discontinuous, one. Natura non agit per saltum. If Melody be indeed in a state of final decay, it

was for the doctor to indicate the causes which have overpowered the action of the law of Heredity. This he has not attempted to do, and until he has done so satisfactorily we are unable to accept his theory.

History, as well as Physiology, gives us some crumbs of comfort, and supplies us with fresh grounds for declining to receive Dr. Latourneau's gloomy theories, and for refusing to submit to the despotism which Herr Wagner and his followers are anxious to impose upon us. The Arts which man has created must of course develop as man himself develops, and Melody may have to undergo many unforeseen developments; but that falls far short of extinction. If the movement of development always took place along a certain straight line in a certain direction, the outlook for Melody would be dark enough; for it certainly has not improved since the time of Rossini. But the development of things human does not

take place in this wise: progress and improvement are not convertible terms. The development of the race, and of the Arts and Sciences, has never consisted in an unbroken series of improvements. The movement onward takes place at a variable rate, and is interrupted by periods of suspension and of actually retrograde motion, as may be illustrated by some such complicated curve as that given by Mr. Fergusson in his 'Historical Inquiry into the True Principles of Beauty in Art' (p. 69); for example,

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look at the arrested civilisations of China and India; look at the rise and decline of

Spain and Holland. Everyone acquainted with even the outline of the history of Sculpture and Painting is well aware of the extraordinary vicissitudes which these Arts have