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T H E M U Q I {8 A T rln T \f w Q it iS not the fault of the audiences who listened to o w X 1 1 1g1 D on them, but of the composers who wrote them. 3,nW SI11;g1nS ;IRSS CXVIZIV gotten that deyerveYS taOt nbo Englishb opdera is for-MARCE 1ST 1866. opera-houses, whether managed by companies or individuals, are : nerely private speculations, English composers, like those of other countries, must simply M U S I {: AL G RI E V AN CE S. compete with their rivals, and abide by the result. BY HENRY C. LUNS As to execut*e artists, we would dispassionately * ask, where 1$ the English singer-where the player WHEN we remember that it is proverbially the competent to interpret the highest musical works privilege of an Ellglishman to gruinble, we can perwhose talents are not as much recognized as if he or haps scarcely wonder that in the musical profession she were born in a foreign land ? Many there may we should find many who avail themselves of this be whofancy themselves ill-used, because they canprlnlege whenever and wherever they think that not persuade the public to take them at their own there is a fair chance of their grievances beLng heard valuation. We reinember a case in which a schooland attended to. Music may be said to have so fellow of one of our most celebrated authors comrecently asserted itstrueplacein England that many plained bitterly that, although tlley were both branches of the profession are still in that transition educated at the same establishment, he was only a state through which it seems the fate of the art to poor clerk, whilst his friend was a favourite of the travel in all countries. public, and could command any price he pleased for The Life of Weber, and the Letters of Mozart7 his productions, assigning as a reason that he which have so lately come before us, will amply ' always had the luck of it." Some such feeling, no prove that, with genius now fully acknowledged in doubt, takes possession of many a mediocre artist every civilized country of the globe, even these men because other vocalists and instrumentalists born in were forced to submit to indignities and struggle the same country, or perhaps in the same town through adversities which, had they not felt that monopolize the best engagements; but complaints giant strength which belongs to the highest intellect, like these cannot be received as arguments, when the might have crushed for ever all hope of fulfilling fact is before us that English artists of acknowledged their mission in the world. Such histories as these excellence have for some years reigned supreme at should be kept well before us; for, if in a country the musical festivals, and that on the operatic stage where the greatest musicians have been born, such English vocalists are greedily competed for by difficulties should beset their early career, the English managers. Will any unprejudiced looker-on admit artist may well learn to calm his outraged feelings these plain truths as conclus*e proofs that superior to be patient, and wait. talent is as much appreciated in English as in foreign Before we discuss the means of remedying some of artists, or will he believe that a chosen few occupy the grievances of which musicians in this country the highest positions because they " have the luck Justly complain, we must briefly allude to one which, of it ? " if not entirely unfounded? we believe to be immensely Turning from imaginary to real grievances, we exaggerated. We allude to the complaint that Snd so many crowd upon us that we can but select foreign talent is encouraged, to the serious detriment one or two of the most important. We have in a of that born and cultivated on English soil. Leaving former artiele alluded to the want of any acknowout of the question the truth that patriotism, howledged diploma, similar to that granted in the proever noble it may be in politics, has nothing whatever fessions of law alld medicine, by which the competent to do with art, we meet the complaint by boldly English musical professor may be distinguished from asserting that it is not borne out by facts. That the incompetent, without the disagreeable task of foreign artists have been, are, and always should be, trumpeting his own praises to the world; and we received with the utmost favour in England, is only make no apology for again ventilating the subject a proof that we accept the best representatives of considering, as we do, that it is one of vital importnlusic from whatever country they may come. Picance. We all know that the medical profession is tures and architecture-those silent monuments of a one requiring years of earnest studythat the most nation's genius -we must travel to adinire and apintellectual powers nlust be brought to bear upon preciate; but as musical compositions come to uss every branch of it * and that even then, ill the