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Rh the wide and only true way it can be studied. Nor are these the only reasons why all classes of the community, and musicians particularly, should bestir themselves on this important (|uestion. Although it is true that our Orchestral Concert Scheme goes on, — by the skin of its teeth, so to speak, — yet the time is not far distant when no artist, instrumental or otherwise, will risk the attempt of concert-giving in Glasgow. Even excellent musicians of European reputation know that, if they were to venture to give a chamber concert hei-e on their own responsibility, they would most certainly have to pay for it out of their own pockets. The earnest lovers of nuisic in Glasgow have had recourse to a praiseworthy stratagem so as to secure that we are not left destitute of chamber concerts altogether. Now, if there were an active centre of nmsic in our midst, it would go a long way towards en- suring an audience for any worthy musical enterprise attempted ; even the students themselves would make this a matter of tolerable certainty, so that local musicians might once more venture to give concerts on their own account with some chance of success. It would be an easy matter to bring forward any number of illustrations showing the unsatisfactory, and in many cases unfair, results of musical examina- tions, but we prefer to leave the question on the broad ground on which all can agree, viz. that Scot- land should do something better for herself than to calmly rest contented with a system which does not provide education, and is promoted for the benefit of institutions at a distance. The way is well paved in many directions, and the present time shows a large and increasing tendency towards doing all in its power to further the interest that we have so nuich at heart. In all our Board Schools the foundation is being securely laid for the future edifice which should ultimately be erected upon it, and the Tonic-Sol-fa System of instruction is also assisting materially in making music an indis- pensable factor in the training of the young, while in private and other schools every effort is being made to prepare ]3upils for a liigli -class musical training on the same lines as for a university course. But it all stops at this point, because, after school is finished the musical aspirant has no resource left except to take a few lessons in pianoforte or singing from a local teaclier, or leave the country. The local teacher may be excellent in his department, but he is most assuredly unable to provide a musical education in the full sense of the term. This brings us to note a misundei-standing which exists in the minds of a large number of people reaarding the nature of a musical education. The idea is widely prevalent that to study music, or to take some music lessons, simply means an attempt to attain a sufficient amount of proficiency on the pianoforte to enable the student to fumble out a Mendelssohn ' Song without Words,'' or murder a Sonata by Beet- hoven, or, in the case of singing, to gain just enough of self-confidence to be able to inflict ' True till Death " on a longsuff'erino- audience brought together for charitable purposes and mutual appreciation — or depreciation, as the case may be. It does not yet seem to be at all iniderstood by parents and others that the compositions of great musicians afford as much scope for study as do the works of standard authors in the field of literature, and that the primary consideration in musical education should be, not only to play and sing well, but also to be- come acquainted with the works of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Bralnns, and Wagner — acquainted in the sense of knowing them from having heard them, just in the same way as one knows poems of Milton or Tennyson, or the plays of Shakespeare, from having read them. The mistaken impression that the enjoyment of the great works of the com- posers depends upon a profound knowledge of the science of music is a totally erroneous one. It cannot be too strongly urged that, until the majority of persons are brought to see this, and to believe that the want of interest they feel in listening to good music is solely due to the fact that they liave not taken a sufficient amount of trouble to put themselves in the way of frequently liearing it, the apathetic condition of our audiences will remain as it is, or grow gradually worse. Again, it is a mistake to suppose that, because of the existence of a certain musical community, the appreciation and desire for the art are in any way on the increase. The circle which forms the regular attendance at our concerts, taking into account the population of a city like Glasgow, is a very small one.

It is true that a large audience meets every Saturday evening during the season in St. Andrew's Hall, but this may be taken as a proof of the sincere desire among a certain class to learn something; it is not the fashionable West-End circle which attends on these occasions, so much as the musical contingent just mentioned, augmented by a fair sprinkling of artisans and ordinary workaday people, who recognise the fact that the hearing of a large orcliestra, or chorus and orchestra, is very good value for the small sum of one shilling. But, be this as it may, it only goes to strengthen our case — viz. that there does exist a large section which requires direction. This can only be attained by focusing all who are sincere in their endeavours to know more about music, as well as those actively engaged in the profession, who feel that their art