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 Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow 248.: FLOWER'S SONGS OF THE MONTHS [1] EXAMINER, 20 APR., 1834, P. 244 - The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXIII - Newspaper Writings August 1831 - October 1834 Part II

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Subject Area: Political Theory
Collection: The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill

248.: FLOWER’S SONGS OF THE MONTHS [1] EXAMINER, 20 APR., 1834, P. 244 - John Stuart Mill, The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXIII - Newspaper Writings August 1831 - October 1834 Part II [1831]

Edition used:

The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXIII - Newspaper Writings August 1831 - October 1834 Part II, ed. Ann P. Robson and John M. Robson, Introduction by Ann P. Robson and John M. Robson (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1986).

Part of: Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, in 33 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


248.

FLOWER’S SONGS OF THE MONTHS [1]

EXAMINER, 20 APR., 1834, P. 244

Added to a letter of 22 Feb., 1834, to W.J. Fox, is the following gestatory postscript, probably directed to Eliza Flower, concerning Songs of the Months: “The three beautiful children [the ‘Songs’ for January, February, and March] shall have justice done them on the appearance of the third—The birth of the eldest was announced [see No. 229], and a good word spoken for the expected family— / February is a beauty—but March is grand—” (EL, CW, Vol. XII, p. 215). This review of the first four songs, in the “Musical Review,” is headed “Songs of the Months, Nos. I, II, III, and IV. By the Author of ‘Musical Illustrations of the Waverley Novels,’ ‘Songs of the Seasons,’ &c. Published in ‘Fox’s Monthly Repository,’ for January, February, March, and April, 1834,” and is described in Mill’s bibliography as “A notice of the ‘Songs of the Months’ in the Examiner of 20th April 1834” (MacMinn, p. 39). In the Somerville College set of the Examiner, it is listed as “Review of Miss Flower’s Songs of the Months,” with three corrections: at 703.3, “softness of the April song: we” is altered to “softness. Of the April song, we”; at 703.21, “runs” is altered to “seems”; and at 703.23, “fuller a more” is altered to “fuller and more”.

these beautiful songs ought to enlist all lovers of music among the purchasers of Mr. Fox’s excellent periodical. Even the many to whom melody is but melody, delicious in itself, but speaking of nothing beyond, will find an ample feast set before them in these airs; while, to the smaller number, who require that music shall be to poetry what a sweet voice is to the sweet meanings to which it gives utterance, they will yield a still higher enjoyment.

Of the few songs which have appeared, we prefer those for February and March.1 The February song is like the very note of the birds whose loves it celebrates. The verses for March, finely descriptive of “winds and clouds,” have called forth from the imagination of the composer a strain of inspired grandeur; such, as if arranged on a full band of wind instruments, would blend gloriously with the hollow resounding of the tempest, dying away in a passage of the loveliest and richest softness. Of the April song, we quote the words—their only fault is shortness:

    • Her cheek is pale, her eyes are wet,
    • Her voice in murmurings
    • Grieves lowly to the morn that yet
    • No sunshine brings.
    • Why linger ye, O laughing hours?
    • Uncurl ye buds, unfurl ye flowers!
    • Sad April sings.
    • The paleness fleets, the tears are dry,
    • Her voice with gladness rings;
    • The sunshine over earth and sky
    • Its brightness flings.
    • Come revel through my laughing hours,
    • Ye warbling birds, ye buds and flowers!
    • Glad April sings.2

The composer has produced a most perfect translation of these words into musical sounds: and by a rare felicity, the same melody which when joined to the longing and yearning of the first stanza, seems as if intended by nature for that expression only, becomes by a change from minor to major and the addition of a fuller and more rapid accompaniment, the no less apt representative of the gladness and buoyancy of the second verse. It seems actually to bound with joy.

We are sensible of the ugliness of crossing at one leap from poetry and music to shillings and pence, but we should leave part of our duty unperformed if we were not to mention that these songs, any one of which if printed in the ordinary way and published separately would be sold for two shillings, or two and sixpence, may be severally purchased, together with the cotemporary number of one of the very best existing monthly periodicals, for eighteenpence.

[1 ]“St. Valentine’s Day: Songs of the Months, No. 2, February” (Monthly Repository, n.s. VIII [1834], 99), words by Charles Reece Pemberton; “Winds and Clouds: Songs of the Months, No. 3, March” (ibid., p. 203), words by Sarah Flower Adams.

[2 ]“Tears and Smiles: Songs of the Months, No. 4, April” (ibid., p. 291), words by Pemberton. The key change referred to below is from A minor to A major.