U niversity of O regon M onthly
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tains of: difficulty which sometimes rise up before us like
impassable bearers. - The battle-song fills the soldier with
high-born courage, the. national anthem causes the heart to
swell with loyalty, and the sacred hymn brings a deeper
feeling, softens the sensibilities as no sermon ever could.
There is nothing which has sUch power■ to play upon the
emotional strings' o f mart’s'- nature, nothing- which is, more
likely to move , him to action. Hence the question of how
music effects the moral life, whether it raises or lowers the
ideals, makes man better or worse, is of extreme importance.
Long ago Confucius, realizing the great power of music,
said, “Desire ye to know whether a land is well-governed,
whether its people have good morals? Hear its music.” The
same test might be applied quite as well today, for we find
a great difference in the music of people of different coun
tries. The barbarous Dahomians make a hideous noise by
beating 'on drums, which sound they no doubt call music;
the less civilized the race the more discordant are the sounds
which they produce. It is only the cultured- lands which
have, achieved real harmony. - Indeed, we are told th a t music'
is a Valuable element in the progress of civilization1 because -
it prepares the heart for all else that is beautiful, that through
it we learn to appreciate other arts, to enjoy nature and to
feel more sympathy for one another. Some say that savages,
these same Dahomians, are great lovers- of music and give
this as proof that melody has no moral influence. But this
is unreasonable for it can hardly be expected to 1 counteract
all evil passions; and we should rather give due credit to
the great tendency toward softening the temper and leading
up to a higher plane.
Further than this however, back o f the fact th^t it is
a badge, a symbol of civilization, we may consider the in
fluence Of music for good or bad by the source from which
it* springs. It gives utterance to the life and soul of the
man who is called its composer, therefore, it would seem that
Unless that man has lived a clean life he could not- pour out
from his souh anything good or anything better than he him-