THE HAWEIS LECTURES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9124, 7 June 1895, Page 5

THE HAWEIS LECTURES.

" MUSIC AND NOISE." The quaint title of the third lecture delivered by Rev. H. R. Haweis at once attracts attention. It is a continuation, it may be said, of his lecture on "• Music and Morals," but last night the latter part of the title was emphasised in a peculiar manner. Perhaps it was intended as a compliment to a distinguished clergyman of the Anglican Church, but the fact remains that ou tAVO occasions of the lectures taking place the bells of the cathedral have been rung most obtrusively. On both occasions the voice of the lecturer has been almost drowned by a triple bob major on the bells of our cathedral, and though Mr Haweis ought perhaps to feel flattered at such a mark of attention, though the clergy have been conspicuous by their absence at his lectures, still the audience have grave cause of complaint against the Cathedral authorities. To strive to catch the point of Mr Haweis' little jokes with the booming of the bells ringing in one's ears is rather embarrassing, and the question arises have the Cathedral authorities any right to interfere with the enjoyment of the audience at the theatre in this way ? Mr Haweis commenced his lecture with the statement, which he said had startled everyone who had heard it, that there was no music in nature. Now poets have dinned it into our ears for ever that nature was full of music, and this was rather a startling proposition. But one is bound to admit that Mr Haweis, with thab preciseness in proving all things which characterises him, made out an extremely good case. He showed most conclusively the truth of the point advanced by him that music is the .reatioo. of man. He demonstrated this by comparing the notes of the cuckoo, the donkey and the cat with Mendelssohn. Mr Haweis too, on the authority of Shakespeare, dispelled the romantic idea of the nightingale, pointing out that it was due more to the surroundings of the moonlight and the aromatic scents of the roses than the notes of the bird. The theory of acoustics and timbre were explained, and in connection with the latter a quaint illustration Avas given, " The flute " said Mr Haweis »' 13 the treacle of music, inasmuch as you cannot stand much of it." On the blackboard the lecturer demonstrated, blending amusement with instruction, how music affects the nervous system. During the lecture Mr Haweis gave a number of violin illustrations. To-night, which will be the last of the series, Mr Haweis will lecture on the subject "Is Marriage a Failure."