We are persuaded that such meetings, if generally adopted and zealously carried out, will do much good. We know many will object to them, because they seem low and Methodistical: but never mind what they may seem: try them, and they will be found useful, and that is the true test of respectability. There is no more similarity between Methodistical house-meetings and ours, than there is between their worship and ours. Parties who consider themselves the most respectable religionists of the day, and who, in fact, do usually set the fashion in religious propriety, very commonly hold such meetings.* It was from hearing of our vicar doing so that we were first induced to begin. But apart from all this, there is a great use in them, and that alone should influence us. R. E. REPLY TO "REMARKS ON THE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES AS APPLIED TO MUSIC." To the Editor of the INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY. WHEN I forwarded the extracts from Mrs. Child's recent work, for insertion in your periodical for November last, I little anticipated that any one would take exception at any thing contained in them; it was not, therefore, without surprise that I read the sweeping censure passed in the "Remarks" of your correspondent H-, on the thoughts she offered on the correspondence of music. 66 If I understand H- aright, his objections chiefly turn on what Mrs. C. assumes as facts, which he contends are fallacies. After stating that her remark, relative to music being the soprano, the feminine principle, the heart of the universe," is unintelligible, he affirms "that she is incorrect in the distinction she makes between intonation and duration, when she speaks of the former as relating to space, and of the latter as relating to time; also in the division of the female voice into soprano and contralto, and of the male voice into tenor and bass; and that in her remarks respecting the perfect chord in music, and the seven notes as constituting the diatonic scale, she is merely detailing a tissue * It should be remembered that several of the societies around Manchester were commenced and established by the periodical visits of the late Rev. J. Clowes, who, at the house of some friend in the place he visited, expounded the Word, and explained the doctrines of the New Church, to attentive and delighted hearers, who formed some of the societies which are now, like "cities set on a hill," spreading the light of truth all around them.-EDITOR. of fallacies." One objection, indeed, turns on the subject of correspondences itself, where H-states that he altogether dissents from the observation of Mrs. C., that "the air in music relates to the affections or sentiments, and the accompaniments to truth;" the reverse of which, he maintains, is the case. Notwithstanding the remarks of H—, I still think there is much beauty in the thoughts Mrs. C. has offered on the subject of music, and am anxious to rescue them from some of the obloquy your correspondent has cast on them. In reference to the first subject, objected to on the ground of its being unintelligible, I would merely remark that there appears to be much truth in it. Swedenborg's declarations on that subject go, indeed, much further than Mrs. C.'s, but do not contain, as it appears to me, any thing that is in opposition to what H— objects to as being unintelligible. In the Apocalypse Explained we meet with the following: "The harmonies of musical sounds are from the spiritual world, and signify affections with their gladnesses and joys."-(No. 700.) Again, speaking of the various adaptations of singing to the peculiar states of the affection, he says:— "All these things spontaneously flow from the joy itself, and for this reason, that the whole heaven is formed according to the affections of good and truth, the supreme heaven according to the affections of good, and the middle heaven according to the affections of truth; consequently, it is formed to joys, for all joy is from affection or from love; hence it is that in all angelic discourse there is a certain harmonious concord. Hence it is manifest, that the power by which the harmony of singing, and the musical art, can express various kinds of affections, and be applied to things and circumstances, is from the spiritual world, and not from the natural, as is generally supposed."-(No. 326. See also A. C. 8337.) If, then, the harmonies of music originate in the affections of the Good and the True, which certainly are the heart of heaven, I do not see any thing to cavil at in Mrs. C. speaking of music as "the heart of the universe;" for goodness and truth alike pervade heaven and the universe, since, as all things in the former are formed from the affection of these principles, so all things in the latter relate to them. And further, so far as music is the expression of the affections of truth, it may be called the feminine principle, the affection of truth being the predominating characteristic of the female mind, when in a state of order. In the second objection, which is to the remark of Mrs. C. that "intonation relates to space, and duration to time," H- appears to confound two things which are perfectly distinct. It is true, as he remarks, that "every musical sound, or note, is the result of a uniform series of vibrations, knocks, or pulsations, in a given time;" but a series of vibrations producing intonation is one thing, and a succession of notes on the same sound, which relates to that division of music called time, is another. For instance, a succession of notes on the same sound, however rapid, could not alter the pitch. A note on C natural, however rapidly repeated, would not thereby become C sharp, much less D. However rapidly a series of "knocks" could be given to a note on a piano-forte, the pitch would not be rendered more acute, this depending on the length, thickness, and degree of tension in the string from which the sound is produced. In what way your correspondent would distinguish between intonation and time I do not know, since he has not given any information on that point; but that they present two perfectly distinct ideas to the mind, is quite certain, and that the idea presented by intonation involves space, is also evident from the terms applied to it. Notes are spoken of as being higher or lower, and the space (for I do not know what other word to employ) between them is termed an interval,— certainly not an interval of time,-and an interval again is spoken of as being greater or less. We also speak of semi-tones, an expression which properly means a semi-interval In short, I do not know any expressions applicable to intonation which do not, either more directly or more remotely, involve the idea of space. H-'s observation on the next points,-that "the soprano is feminine, and the bass masculine," is certainly a rather singular one. He says, "It may be true for any thing I know to the contrary!" I do not suppose that H- affects ignorance on a point which must, I should think, have appeared very evident to most of your readers; but surely, had he reflected but for a moment, he must have seen that a bass voice would be any thing but a feminine accomplishment in a lady. His remarks relative to the soprano voice proper to boys, and the head voice in man, do not affect the question. I wonder H- did not call to mind, that the change of the voice from the soprano to bass, in the male, is co-incident with the change from boyhood to manhood. Your correspondent is also, I have no doubt, fully aware, that the head voice, or falsetto, in the male, consists of harmonies; and it would be just as consistent to maintain that a violoncello is a treble instrument, because a skilful performer can produce from it harmonies similar in quality and pitch to the tones of a violin, as to argue that the male voice is not properly bass, because harmonies similar in pitch to the notes of a female voice, may be produced from it. The subsequent remarks of H-, relative to the division of the voice into soprano, contralto, tenor, and bass, also exhibit, as it appears to me, much hastiness. He asks, "Will any one assert that these distinctions are consonant with nature—that every individual voice is precisely one of these four, and that no nicer shades of distinction are found?" How is it possible that "nicer shades" should not exist, when no two voices are precisely alike? It cannot be denied that music, or rather harmony, naturally divides itself into the soprano, contralto, tenor, and bass, and that there is a large class of voices suitable in pitch and quality for sustaining each of these parts. Those which do not properly fall under one of the four classes, are the exceptions, rather than the rule. That a few should be (if I may so speak) of an intermediate character, does not appear to me to invalidate the fact, for we find in every thing there is something analogous to this. There are, for instance, objects in nature whose place in the kingdoms of nature it is difficult to determine. It is difficult to say of some whether they are minerals or vegetables, and of others, whether they are vegetables or animals; the three kingdoms of nature are, nevertheless, perfectly distinct. So in reference to the subject under consideration: though there may be some exceptions, the great mass of voices may be ranged under the four classes into which they are generally divided, and which Mrs. C. has considered as the correct classification. (To be continued.) EXTRACTS FROM SWEDENBORG'S SPIRITUAL DIARY. That no one should claim to himself aught [of reward] in heaven, on account of having, in his life time, taught many [truths]. 1643. Two individuals, who in their lifetime were known to me as having laboured in much teaching, and as having been very diligent as preachers, began to declare, that now they were gifted with a zeal for teaching. I was well aware that, in this manner, the zeal which they had in their lifetime should, as it were, become revived [in them]; but from what desire that zeal proceeded, was concealed from me. As, however, both they, and with them others, who were stationed on high above my head (me),—who likewise, as I suppose, had in their lifetime been doctors, or teachers, and therefore [i. e. from the conceit of their phantasy, seemed to be] very high in heaven,—conversed with me, and that, too, respecting a certain one who in his lifetime had his chief delight in the zeal of teaching [and preaching], so that his life aimost wholly consisted therein. I thence took occasion to discourse [on the subject], saying, that I knew not whence originated their zeal for teaching, although aware of such being their delight during the life of the body; but that some are possessed with a similar desire, to the end that they may be accounted wise men in the world's esteem, which is their exciting passion; so that from such zeal or labour they could expect no reward in heaven, because it was [all] for the sake of self, in order to become celebrated as wise men; some to the end that they might become great, and be promoted to honours; others, for lucre's sake, and some from necessity, because they seek emolument thence, whereas their delight was rather in things of a different or worldly nature; others, from an innate desire, as, from natural disposition; consequently, neither can any such expect a recompense for the same. But in respect of zeal for teaching [others], as considered in itself, this is not their own, but the Lord's [gift], as themselves also confess when preaching. Wherefore, if in the other life any one place merit in such zeal, he obtains no sort [of reward] in heaven. 1644. The same individuals, who from such their very great elevation conversed with me, sought out whatever of evil they could find against others, and that even carefully; when yet themselves, as I could perceive, had been lascivious characters; wherefore I questioned them why they only sought to find in others such, and not rather good [qualities], that so they might excuse their evils; which to do, is of the Lord. This they acknowledged [to be the case], wherefore also there was [farther] discourse concerning those who only seek for evils in others, and not for any good [in them; as wishing] thus to seem greater than others. They confessed that it was even so, but still they could do no otherwise, but persisted in the [same] endeavour. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. MR. DAWSON'S LECTURES ON SWE DENBORG. In our last we announced that this talented gentleman had given, in the Manchester Athenæum, two lectures on Swedenborg, considering him chiefly as a natural philosopher; we also stated that we should endeavour to procure a full report of these interesting lectures; but in this we have been disappointed; we have, therefore, been obliged to avail ourselves of the brief reports from the Manchester papers, the Guardian, the Examiner, and the Advertiser: "On Thursday, the 14th of January, Mr. Dawson delivered the fourth of his lectures on "Historical Characters Reconsidered;" the subject being-Emanuel Swedenborg. The audience was the largest that has yet attended this course. The lecture theatre was quite full, and the attention bestowed upon the lecturer more marked than upon any former occasion. Mr. Dawson commenced by stating that the reasons which have led to the neglect of Swedenborg were-sectarianism, and the exclusive attention to one part only of his life, namely, his visions and revelations. Swedenborg was one of that small class of scholars who value literature not as an end, but as an instrument to help the solution of those problems which haunt and agitate the human soul. His great aim was to illustrate the connection between matter and mind, science and religion; not by way of poetic simile or metaphoric parallelism, but by an investigation of the laws of both, and by shewing that they |