In "Henry VIII.," Act III., Scene I., one of Katharine's waiting-women, at her request, sings to enliven their sadness. This is the song:

"Orpheus, with his lute, made trees,
And the mountain-tops that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did sing;
To his music, plants and flowers
Ever sprung; as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring.

Everything that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,

Hung their heads, and then lay by.

In sweet music is such art,

Killing care and grief of heart

Fall asleep, or, hearing, die."

In "Merchant of Venice," Act V., Scene I., Lorenzo and Jessica are talking about the effect of music; after an eloquent rhapsody on the subject by Lorenzo, Jessica says, "I am never merry when I hear sweet music."

Lorenzo attempts to explain why this is so, and cites the effect of music upon a herd, or race of unhandled colts, saying:

"If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,
Or any air of music touch their ears,

You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,
Their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze,

By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods;
Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage,
But music for the time doth change his nature."

That the myth is capable of humorous treatment will be seen in the following poem by J. G. Saxe.

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.

JOHN G. SAXE.

Sir Orpheus, whom the poets have sung
In every metre and every tongue,

Was, you may remember, a famous musician,
At least for a youth in his pagan condition,-
For historians tell he played on his shell
From morning till night, so remarkably well
That his music created a regular spell
On trees and stones in forest and dell!
What sort of an instrument his could be
Is really more than is known to me,

For none of the books have told, d'ye see!
It's very certain those heathen "swells
Knew nothing at all of oyster-shells,

And it's clear Sir Orpheus never could own a
Shell like those they make in Cremona ;
But whatever it was, to move the stones,"

It must have shelled out some powerful tones,

But alas for the joys of this mutable life!
Sir Orpheus lost his beautiful wife

Eurydice - who vanished one day
From Earth in a very unpleasant way!
It chanced as near as I can determine,
Through one of those vertebrated vermin
That lie in the grass so prettily curled,
Waiting to "snake" you out of the world!
And the poets tell she went to — well —
A place where Greeks and Romans dwell

*

After they burst their mortal shell;

A region that in the deepest shade is,

And known by the classical name of Hades,

*

Now having a heart uncommonly stout,
Sir Orpheus didn't go whining about,
But made up his mind to fiddle her out!

And then he played so remarkably fine
That it really might be called divine, ·
For who can show on earth or below,
Such wonderful feats in the musical line?

And still Sir Orpheus chanted his song,
Sweet and clear and strong and long,

66

Eurydice! Eurydice!"

He cried as loud as loud could be ;
And Echo, taking up the word,

Kept it up till the lady heard,

And came with joy to meet her lord.
And he led her along the infernal route
Until he had almost got her out,
When, suddenly turning his head about
(To take a peep at his wife, no doubt),
He gave a groan, for the lady was gone,
And had left him standing there all alone!
For by an oath the gods had bound
Sir Orpheus not to look around

Till he was clear of the sacred ground,
If he'd have Eurydice safe and sound;

*

A STORY TOLD BY MERCURY TO ARGUS.

THERE was a certain nymph whose name was Syrinx,

much beloved by the satyrs and spirits of the wood. She favored none of them, for she was a faithful worshipper of Diana, and followed the chase. Pan, meeting her one day, wooed her with many compliments, likening her to Diana of the silver bow. Without stopping to hear him, she ran away; but on the bank of a river he overtook her. She called for help on her friends, the water-nymphs, who heard and saved her; for when Pan threw his arms around what he supposed to be the form of the nymph, he found only a tuft of reeds.

As he breathed a sigh, the air sounded through the reeds, and produced a plaintive melody. Whereupon, the god, charmed with the novelty and with the sweet ness of the music, said, "Thus, then, at least, you shall be mine." Taking some of the reeds of unequal lengths, and placing them together side by side, he made an instrument, and called it Syrinx in honor of the nymph.

NOTE. This instrument is also called the Pandean Pipes.

A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

MRS. BROWNING.

I.

What was he doing, the great god Pan,
Down in the reeds by the river?

Spreading ruin and scattering ban,