Tales of Natural Beauty

“LA MUSIQUE,” says Marmontel, in those “Contes Moraux”1 which in all our translations, we have insisted upon calling “Moral Tales,” as if in mockery of their spirit —“la musique est le seul des talents qui jouissent de lui-meme; tous les autres veulent des temoins.” He here confounds the pleasure derivable from sweet sounds with the capacity for creating them. No more than any other talent, is that for music susceptible of complete enjoyment, where there is no second party to appreciate its exercise.