I have breathed on the South, and the chestnut-flowers By thousands have burst from the forest-bowers: And the ancient graves, and the fallen fanes, Are veiled with wreaths on Italian plains. I have passed o'er the hills of the stormy North, And the reindeer bounds through the pasture free, And the moss looks bright where my step has been. I have sent through the wood-paths a gentle sigh, To the swan's wild note by the Iceland lakes, From the streams and founts I have loosed the chain; Come forth, O ye children of gladness, come! Away from the dwellings of careworn men, The summer is hastening, on soft winds borne, For me I depart to a brighter shore Ye are marked by care, ye are mine no more. And the flowers are not death's-fare ye well, farewell LONGING FOR HOME! My feet are worn, and weary of the march O'er the rough road and up the steep hill-side; Oh! City of my God, I fain would see Thy pastures green, where peaceful waters glide. My heart is weary of its own deep sin, HUMBUG BECOME PIOUS! BY THE EDITOR. PERSONS residing in the country, or in smaller villages, can have no adequate idea of the manner and degree in which all kinds of humbugs are palmed upon the community in our larger towns and cities. The smallest number even of those who are made the victims of these impositions seem to be aware of the wires by which they are made to move. The inhabitants of larger towns and cities are generally regarded as far more intelligent than others, and yet facts prove clearly that they are far more easily duped, especially by that class of humbugs which require a swarm to accomplish their ends. The silliest mock-negro concert, the lowest class of tricksters can rally the crowd, and draw hundreds of dollars from the pockets of the unsuspecting. What is most astonishing is, that hard-working men will willingly carry their earnings, bought by many a drop of sweat and weary stroke, to these itinerant mountebanks-showmen, doggerel-mongers, and quacks—whose name is Legion. Humbugs are very generally practiced lately under the cloak of having a good, even a religious object in view, in which they meet with great success. Becoming pious to the pious, and moral to the moral, they work themselves into the favor of the community with the most plausible pretensions. This kind of humbug knows that a very considerable portion of the community are members of churches, and that another portion have very great respect, at least outwardly, for religion. How shall this part of the community be made to swarm for Humbug? How shall the conscientious portion of the community have their scruples removed, and their consciences quieted? Here is the Rubicon; if this is once crossed then triumph and success are sure. The matter is soon arranged by the aid of a little Yankee wisdom. "This will I do. I will take a 'free ticket' in my hand-'Admit the Rev. Mr. - and his family'-and thus I will show my respect to the pastors of the place. The good-natured pastor, who by the nature of his office, sees only the best side of human life, is easily caught in the snare. He is soon booked up as to the wonderful benefit which is thus at hand for the community-their near-sighted eyes are all to be set right-the deaf are to have their ears opened-the nervous are to be galvanized and to be made as steady as a pillar by the wonderful virtues of physico-electrical-mental-alchemy-all the dear children are to be taught in a few lessons to "sing geography" and "the mathematics"-and all the choirs are to be inducted into the sublime mysteries of scientific psalm-singing-bass, tenor and terrible! Can the good pastor refuse to lift the light of his countenance upon the proposal of such wonderful wise men "from the East?" can he deny to the people such blessings, especially as he has already a "free ticket!" Having thus put a silvery bell upon the docile leader, he is sent forth to ring his flock into the service of Humbug. The council of the church-all benevolent men-are asked "for the use of the lecture-room." Or, if it is thought that a certain class of the community would not be likely to attend there, another place is selected. If the world will not go with the church, the church, always kind, will go with the world. Next, as it is so good a thing, "the pastor will please announce it from his pulpit!" and accompany it with a few remarks." If it is musical, the leader of the choir must also have "a free ticket;" besides, "the singers" -how good that flattering distinction feels-"the singers are specially invited." All is right now. The humbug has been baptized and blest by the church. If any one in the community should be over scrupulous, it is sufficient answer to his conscience to say: "It was published from the pulpit, and all the churches favor it." All goes on piously; perhaps "it is opened with prayer!" No one sees the cloven foot or smells the sulphur until the whole performance winds up in a farce, and Humbug has his pockets jingling with cash! Having now given you the theory and the science, perait us to give you the actual history of a humbug of this pious, churchly class. It shall be given from the documents-quod est demonstrandum. It is of the musical character, and affords as fine a specimen of a pure religious humbug as we have lately seen. You will see that it makes its debut, by a modest voice, as if it might be induced to come. It suggests that its advent be through the church. We will give its history from the beginning, for we carefully preserved it, seeing in it as we did "Jacob's voice and Esau's hands" from its very dawn. "MUSICAL.We hear some talk of a Musical entertainment, which is expected to come off in this city, in the course of next week, which will differ from anything we have ever had here. Professors Johnson and Frost, and Misses Smith and Whitehouse, of Boston, propose visiting our city, and meeting the different Choirs in the afternoon for the purpose of instruction and rehearsal, and giving a Concert in the evening. The object of the visit is, we believe, the initiatory steps to a Musical Convention here at some future day, for the improvement of our Vocal Church Music. The above named Professors and Ladies are now in Harrisburg, where they have been edifying a large number of ladies and gentlemen by their lectures, &c., and entertaining immense audiences with their vocal powers, assisted in choruses by the whole body of singers, to the number of several hundred."-[Lancaster Inland Daily, January 13, 1855. Any one who has the least knowledge of our modern newspaper puff-system will at once, as we did, recognize in this item the beginning of things. The next day, being Saturday, ourselves, and no doubt all the clergy of the city, received the following neatly printed notice, to be attended to on the pulpit next day, being Sabbath: “A FREE LECTURE UPON CHURCH MUSIC, with illustrations, will be given in the Lecture Room of St. John's Lutheran Church, West Orange Street, on Thursday Evening, January 18th, by Professors A. N. Johnson and E. H. Frost, of Boston. Please publish morning and evening." Being of age in these matters, and seeing the Yankee in it without mistake, I wrote under it, "My pulpit is not an advertising medium," and stuck the document upon the wire, among my quack curiosities -feeling sure that it would never be necessary for me to ask pardon of my choir and congregation for refusing to advertise them of this precious morsel of benevolent and pious wisdom. The Thursday for the "Free Lecture" came, and was duly hailed by a puff in the Daily (Jan. 18, 1855,) thus: "FREE LECTURE ON VOCAL MUSIC.-The simple announcement, once made, that there will be a free lecture given on the subject of vocal music, ought to be inducement enough for all lovers of that science to turn out, but lest some should have forgotten the notice previously given, we repeat that Professors Johnson and Frost will meet singers and others interested in Music, in the Lecture Room of St. John's Lutheran Church, West Orange street, on this evening at 7 o'clock. The evening will be occupied in singing from the Handel collection, a new work by Prof. Johnson, and with an explanation of Prof. Frost's method for training and improving the voice. Admission to this exercise free. "It will depend much upon the success or rather upon the interest exhibited in the present effort, whether these celebrated Professors will hereafter visit our city for the purpose of establishing a musical association, such as they have created in Harrisburg. The musical interest in that place has through their instrumentality risen to the highest point, and after generations may bless the day that dawned on the first musical convention in Harrisburg. We have now the means offered, let us employ them, and by establishing a musical convention in our city, we will call down upon our heads the blessing of posterity." Please notice in the above paragraph the reference to "the Handel collection, a new work by Prof. Johnson," and "Prof. Frost's method of training and improving the voice." If "these celebrated Professors will hereafter visit our city" then these books will come also, and a chance will be afforded to all who will buy. Please notice also, that it is still doubtful "whether the celebrated Professors" will consent to serve and bless our city, and thus "call down upon our heads the blessings of posterity." Alas! if it should fail! So far it works well. The churches and choirs are now enlisted What next? There is a preparation also necessary among the populace outside, in order to insure the harvest at the end, as will appear by and by. Having now the smiles of the church, and the help of the choirs, we go now to Fulton Hall to bring on people!" See Daily: the "CONCERT OF PROFESSORS JOHNSON AND FROST.-Our readers will see by the advertisement that a Concert will be given at Fulton Hall, on Friday evening next, by Professors Johnson and Frost, and Miss Smith and Miss White house, of Boston. This concert is given mainly for the purpose of awakening an interest in Church Music here. These gentlemen and their associates are not professional concert singers. They are engaged in giving instruction in Church Music, and for this purpose hold conventions or musical gatherings in various parts of the country, at which vocal instruction is given and perfected." * Notice that in Harrisburg the concerts were "held in the churches." This is important. Without the churches nothing can be done. Certainly the churches in Lancaster will not show themselves less pious than those of Harrisburg. Put away your scruples, ye conscientious ones-these are "not concert singers;" no, no; church music." It is time, however, that the good people begin to pay, if not for the whistling, for the singing. How can they expect such a blessing for themselves and "posterity" for nothing? Far be that from the generous hearts of the Inland city. Therefore "see advertisement:" "A CONCERT, CONSISTING OF SONGS, DUETTS, QUARTETTES, &C., WILL BE GIVEN I FULTON HALL, ON FRIDAY EVENING, JAN. 19, 1855, by Professors A. N. Johnson and E. H. Frost, assisted by Miss M. J. Smith and Miss S. E. Whitehouse, of Boston. "Tickets 25 cents; for sale at the book stores, and at the door on the evening of the Concert. "A FREE LECTURE, with practical illustrations, will be given in the Lecture Room of St. John's Lutheran church, on Thursday evening. Singers, and all interested in Music, are respectfully invited to attend." Here please notice a new feature in "church music," namely, "songs," &c.; but recollect we are now preparing the outsiders. Notice, also, the benevolence at the close, as manifested in the "free lecture;" and the piety, as seen from its being in the "church." At the proper time this "first fruit" concert came off with " a good house." The choirs were there, and so were the clergy-but one was not--for behold, they had "free tickets." What a thing it is to be on the free list. We say they had free tickets. One, however, was overlooked. He had to stay at home and miss the "songs," songs," or pay his quarter. He deserved it; for did he not refuse to "advertise on his pulpit!" and does not this show that he is opposed to all "progress," and "musical refinement." Yea, does this not prove him to be the veritable man, so long ago described by Shakspeare: "The man that hath no music in his soul And is not moved by the concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils." To send such a man a "free ticket" would be like casting pearls before-a man! But, as we said, the clergy were there with "free tickets" and "choice seats." The concert began with sacred music; but, as Old Humphrey says, it did not end there! Here was a mixed audience; and it became a serious problem, How shall the funny among them be pleased in the presence of a row of white-cravated |