10 January 1857

FRESH FERN LEAVES.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by ROBERT BONNER, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

MUSIC.

Mr. Richard S. Willis, in a recent lecture on Music, in New York, remarks, "that a great deal of expense is thrown away upon those who have no thought of adopting music as a profession and are only to perform before a home circle." Now Richard, that's sensible; those are my sentiments to a charm; and had I as handsome a moustache, and as nice a profile as yours, I would have stood up in my patent-leather's long ago, to have said that very thing. I don't want to dampen your ardor, or throw a shower bath on your philanthropy, at this state of the thermometer; but I tell you, that you and I might tell the public that, till we were hoarse, and still foolish parents, not for love of art, but because it is fashionable, would continue to throw away thousands on the musical education of inappreciative daughters, who have no more taste or talent for music, than I have for digging out the root of a Greek verb. Another thing, you said Richard, in that lecture—to wit—"that the piano is unduly exalted for home music, above the harp and guitar." Good again. If ever a mortal was piano-weary, it is this persecuted and unhappy woman. Do I take a walk? from every "ten footer" I pass, I hear that eternal tum, tum, tum, till a jews-harp would be an untold relief to my aching ears. Tortured pantalet-dom, hoisted by fond parents on a piano-stool, executing some simple piece of music, like "Battle of Prague"—the "dead and wounded," not being confined to the parlor where the "Battle" fearfully rages!

FANNY FERN.