MUSICAL TASTE. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. TASTE in music may justly be regarded as an acquired faculty. Based upon native susceptibility, it is cherished by timely indulgence, and matured by enlightened observation. But without entering upon any philosophic inquiries concerning its precise nature, we may venture to affirm that excellence in an art which addresses itself to us as sentient beings, can be acknowledged only in proportion as the required results can be secured. This is a principle of very general application in literature and the arts. Elocution, for instance, embraces those qualities in delivery which contribute to form an agreeable speaker. But though a speaker may have been systematically trained till he can please himself and his fellow pupils; yet if his utterance is generally displeasing to others, we do not inquire what system of elocution he has studied, or who has been his instructor; but pronounce him deficient in the art. |