GRAMOPHONES—AND WHY NOT? 211

not an entertainment, but the refinement of torture. The
-combination in one person of a highly developed musical
taste, and of pleasure in the sound of a gramophone could
hardly be imagined. Above all, those who are then»selves
musicians understand what a blunting of sensibilities is
indicated in the acceptance of the gramophone approxima-
tion as a substitute for music. The more often and more
fully you are pleased and satisfied by this approximation,
the more tfoe finer musical sensibilities are dulled. So
much for the audience—the effect is to degrade the
-standard of appreciation.

'Ah, you have never heard a good gramophone/---so
I am often told. This mythical instrument I never
expect to hearr. But let us suppose, by way of meeting all
possible eventualities,* that a gramophone is 'available
which even a musician cannot distinguish .from the real
thing. "Which is to be desired iix a community, the
possession of musicians, or of machines that can ami use us?
Do we desire men, or things ? Every time you, accept a
gramophone in place of a man, you degrade the musician,
take from him his living, a,nd injure the group-soul of
your people. So it appears that your amusement is not
•quite so innocent as it appeared.

But to return to the audience—do you really think
that the most perfect machine can -take the place of a
living singer or player'? The performance of a musician
is never exactly repeated—on each occasion he adapts
himself insensibly to the different , conditions, and jin^s
ralso in himself new expression through the old form.

* As a matter of fact, fche eventuality eonsidered is realty impossi-
ble, becauKe ifc is not- the principle of the gramophone to, reproduce
•the qrigipal-sound, bat to produce vibvatiop^ sufficiently ,vf>-
•ihe original one to have a similar effect,