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230 not given to cruelty and not always occupied with itself, involuntarily strives after grace—which is its characteristic. Whereas weak characters are given to harsh judgments, they associate with the heroes of the contempt of mankind, the religions or philosophical traducers of existence, or intrench themselves behind severe customs and punctilious “professions," thus endeavouring to give themselves a character or a certain kind of strength, which is likewise done quite involuntarily. —Our musicians have made a great discovery: interesting ugliness is possible even in their art. And so they plunge into this open ocean of ugliness as though they were intoxicate, and never did they possess such facilities for composing music. Only now have we gained the common, dark-coloured background, whereon every ray of beautiful music, however faint, obtains a gold and emerald lustre: only now we venture upon rousing the audience to impetuous and indignant feelings, taking away their breath, and then, in an interval of harmonious concord, giving them a feeling of bliss which is of general advantage to the appreciation of music. We have discovered the contrast : now only the strongest effects are possible—and cheap : nobody any longer asks for good music. But you are pressed for time! Every art, when one it has made this discovery, has but a short while to live.—Oh that