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EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRUMPETER.

"It is the Moor. I know him by his trumpet.”—

SHAKSPEARE.

It has for some time been necessary in what is called the polite circles, for every person assuming gentility to play on some instrument. We do not say that society is more harmoniously constituted in consequence. Indeed, we happen to know that the cultivation of this taste has led to a large class of very little people giving themselves very great airs. They cannot be made to join in any performance where they are likely to be debarred playing not only all the solos, but the tutti as well. They will not be anything but "first fiddles," although peradventure they can play on nothing but the double bass. Whatever may be the instrument in fashion-now Paginini driving all the world fiddling-now Litsz setting them as madly pianoforting, each performer will invariably exhibit the ambition of being considered "a host in himself"-in other words, a full orchestra. We must pass over the many interesting examples we are familiar with, of those accomplished flutists, violinists, practisers on the violoncello, the cornet-à-piston, the French-horn, the key-bugle, the piano, the harp, and the guitar, who in every exhibition of their talent bring forward indisputable evidence of their having been born to "make a noise in the world,"-our business at present being with a much more numerous class of performers.

Mr. Harper, no doubt, has considered himself to have few rivals in any part of the world capable of competing with him on his favourite instrument; and it must in justice be allowed-to use the highly respectable authority of Old King Cole,

"A very fine trumpeter was he."

But if his eyes were as discriminative as his ears, he would be ready to admit that he has rivals everywhere, with many of whom he would be sure to lose by a comparison. Trumpeters abound in every section of society, from the highest to the lowest; and it cannot be denied but they, like the plants of our wandering gardeners according to their vociferous announcement, are "all a-blowing." Mr. Harper is a trumpeter by profession; but the persons to whom we allude, are trumpeters by nature. The competition between the two must always be in favour of the latter; for these cease their exhibitions only in the grave.

"Thé Soldier Tired of Wars Alarms," from the mouth of this celebrated professor, is a wonderful performance; but how much more extraordinary was the trumpeting of a very similar nature, that has been recently exhibited by a gallant commodore? To be sure, the air sometimes wandered from "The Soldier (we ought to say the Sailor) Tired," to Partant pour la Syrie; but the heroic character of the principal motivo was sustained throughout. Even Mr. Harper's striking execution of "Let the Bright Seraphim," has been excelled by more than one "divine performer," whose loud appeals to the angelic choir have even disturbed a whole university. In short, the silver trumpet can

never for a moment be compared with the brazen; therefore if our old friend were to be as indefatigable in his vocation as Fame is figured to be, he might blow every breath out of his body, in a vain attempt to be as well heard as many of his unprofessional rivals.

One

It should, however, be noticed, that the numbers of this multitudinous brass band do not employ exactly the same sort of instrument, though undoubtedly all are but variations of the same genus. will content himself with his execution on a penny trumpet-another shall not be satisfied unless he be allowed to flourish upon an ophicleide. The humbler pipe has many professors who manage to make themselves heard by the perseverance with which they continue their most insignificant too-ti-toos. These small trumpeters may be met with everywhere. They delight in the homeopathetic strain-theirs are infinitesimal doses of sound and fury." Matters that most men would pass by as of no account, are taken up by them, and made as much of as the compass of their instrument and the strength of their lungs will allow; and the length they will go with a mere nothing is really wonderful. To be sure, they have usually a personal interest in the trifles they are exerting themselves to raise into importance. It may be a part of themselves, doubtless the best part, which, however, no one can dispute, is little enough. It may be their talent, their skill, their virtue, their religion, or some other moral on personal advantage which the world could not avoid passing unnoticed, did not the penny trumpeter use such strenuous endeavours to attract attention.

Parish meetings are famous places for exhibitions of this nature, especially in small country towns, where the penny trumpet is sure to be. in excellent repute. We have known it practised pretty extensively even at quarter-sessions and in common-councils; and it has not been disdained in royal academies, in associations for the advancement of science, and among societies of antiquaries, and scholars more than usually erudite in Greek particles and heathen mythology. We have even detected it in the hands of a minister of the crown, when desirous of making the world acquainted with the purity of his principles. Although the undiscriminating designate these performances by such titles as fudge, humbug, twaddle, cant, and blarney, the penny trum-. peter knows them only by the more imposing names of the march of intellect, philanthropy, patriotism, civil and religious liberty, the sovereign people, and classical learning.

This humble pipe is in such universal requisition, that it may be heard in the eulogium that holds up to the admiration of his fellow burgesses, the public spirit of the mayor of an obscure provincial town, for putting a new handle on the parish-pump, whilst it flourishes as conspicuously in a paragraph of the county paper, wherein is described, in the usual phraseology, the handsome manner in which a Radical landlord distributes to the poor in his neighbourhood ten gallons of nourishing soup, made out of that particular quantity of boiling water, with the assistance of a sheep's-head, two leeks,and a pinch of salt. A candidate for a seat in parliament making known his pretensions-an unread author dilating in a new preface on the popularity of his productions-a barrister opening his case with an earnest avowal of his disinterestedness an advertising tutor, or governess, describing the qualities that must

render him or her "an acquisition"-a fanatic insisting on the favours that have been vouchsafed to him-a teetotaler preaching on the advantages of total abstinence-and a lady of fashion making use of the plea of charity to establish a fancy fair, are all exhibiting their skill on this popular little instrument. But it is impossible to give an adequate idea of the frequency with which it is employed. Suffice it to say, that there is no sound so familiar as that it produces, and that a performer may grace a throne or a three-legged stool; and may find an audience in a methodist assembly at Exeter Hall, in the followers of Owen at a social festival, or in a chartist demonstration on Kennington Com

mon.

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But however interesting in a philosophical point of view may be an inquiry into the benefit derived by the community from the vast diffusion of the penny trumpet, we must at once proceed to notice the use to which the more imposing performances on the majestic instrument of the same nature, which we have thought proper to distinguish as the ophicleide, are applied. All such as have ever obtained any celebrity in the art of flourishing on so grand a scale, are those only who know with proper effect how to assume what is vulgarly called the high and mighty." He who wrote " Ego et Rex meus," and he who said, "I am the state," deserve to be placed at the head of these great trumpeters. Car dinal Wolsey practised the instrument with such success, that though more than three hundred years have passed since his grand performances, he has never been excelled. It is, however, but just to add that the dignitaries of the Church of Rome have distinguished themselves in this manner more than any other class of men-of these the Cardinals Richelieu, Mazarin and de Retz, are among the most celebrated-they even rivalled the sovereign pontiffs, many of whom

"Blew a blast both loud and shrill,"

that was heard throughout the whole civilized world.

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But with kings these noble strains are looked upon as a natural language. The big trumpet is as essential to the crown and sceptre, as the big drum to a military band. Louis XIV. was one of the most effective of royal performers. He practised rather the subduing thau the astounding, but his execution was wonderfully grand, and had an immense effect, not only with his courtiers, but throughout every portion of his dominions. It made him worshipped as a deity, and regarded as a model. The feeble were awed, the strong instructed. Gentle as was sometimes his flourish, at other times it was so terrible it penetrated the most secret dungeons; and equally true is it, that closely as his tones were imitated by his nobles, not one attained a tenth part of their master's skill. In short, he seemed made for the instrument, and the instrument for him. Since his time, notwithstanding that wherever three Frenchmen were to be found, there were always three trumpeters: Louis XIV., in his own country, has had but one rival. He however was worthy of him-he was Napoleon Bonaparte.

Bonaparte's bulletins must always be regarded as the finest performances on the big trumpet that ever were attempted. His threats of invading England-his grand attempt to destroy her commerce-and

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the principal portion of his conversation at St. Helena, deserve the same estimation. That the efforts of the imperial trumpeter were greatly admired by his own countrymen, there cannot be a doubt. Nothing could have been in such perfect accordance with the national taste, and even to this day their effects may be traced in the language with which a vast number of Frenchmen speak of England. Bouaparte's style of execution was very similar to that which has since distinguished similar grand performances by the Emperor of China. The same prodigious confidence in his own resources is the leading feature in both, and we doubt not a like fate will attend them, if the brother of the sun and moon continue in his present humour, and our warlike operations are carried on against him in a proper spirit. St. Helena has parted with its late imperial resident, and the island possesses, as Sir Lucius O Trigger says, "snug lying" for another. It is to he hoped that when the barbarians whom the Chinese Emperor so loudly threatens to exterminate, have him in safe custody, he may meet with the good fortune to have a Les Cases to bear him company.

Some people have a reputation as trumpeters. Of these the Castilians long stood in the front rank. He who on stumbling and hurting himself exclaimed, "This comes of walking on the earth!" must have been a rare performer. The Gascons were but a little less accomplished, but celebrated as they have been, they cannot bear a moment's comparison with a genuine Yankee. This example of “the smartest nation in all creation," was evidently born with a trumpet at his mouth, which he continues to sound, through all the stages of life, with a vigour unknown to natives of less favoured climes, in the ear of every stranger who comes within his neighbourhoood. Even death does not approach to put him in the only fix from which he cannot escape, without being favoured with a flourish intended to prove that the most ordinary thing belonging to the United States is infinitely superior to the best to be found elsewhere. The Kentuckian, however, who can "whip his weight in wild cats" is the beau ideal of American trumpeters. His performance leaves every other-even that of his prototype Baron Munchausen, far behind. You cannot know what the instrument is capable of till he has shown you its resources. Coming nearer home, we must not pass by

"The first flower of the earth, and first gem of the say,"

without paying a proper tribute to the liberality with which it has furnished contributions to the art of trumpeting. Whether their possession of the blarney-stone influence Irishmen in any way in their attachment to this popular instrument, is not with any certainty to be determined. But there cannot be any thing so evident from one end of the island to the other-among orange-men, ribbon-men, catholics, and protestants-from the proudest castle to the meanest hovel, as a continual recourse to its inspiring tones. They bear a harp as a national device, but this must be by mistake-the trumpet is the proper national instrument. It will as surely be found in the hand of an Irishman as a shelaleigh, and with one equally with the other, all who know him thoroughly, must be aware it is, "a word and a blow." If the reader should chance to meet with one of the seven millions of the finest pea

santry striving to appear that rarest of rare animals-"a bashful Irishman," be assured that if there should happen to be any particular flourish more peculiarly Irish than another, he has got it as Pat as possible.

Nor are our friends across the Tweed a whit less sensible of the pleasures derived from this kind of performance. A Scotchman never misses an opportunity of trumpeting, and few things can be more remarkable than the ingenuity with which he finds occasions for indulging in his favourite entertainment. Though he may be merely stating the price of needles, he will succeed in introducing some magnificent flourish about Bannockburn, and even whilst taking a pinch of snuff, cannot refrain from accompanying it with a similar demonstration complimentary to the modern Athens. Not a Sawney amongst them blows his native bagpipes with half the vigour he blows his native trumpet. No man labours in his vocation more heartily-he seems to put his whole breath into every note; and if after his exertions you do not leave him with the conviction that Scotland and every thing Scottish have recommendations it is impossible to parallel in any country, at any period, fit certainly cannot be his fault. Eolus, even, could not have exelled him in the energy with which he puts forth his wind on these

occasions.

John Bull, however, is far from being a despicable artist in this way; he rarely thinks it worth his while to spend his breath in small matters of a national character. But though the national may in consequence suffer some neglect, the personal is sure of having his best attention. The trumpet is everywhere in requisition-a manager of a metropolitan theatre cannot print his play-bills-an editor of a provincial journal cannot produce his newspaper-a quack cannot give notoriety to his infallible medicines-a lecturer cannot attempt to obtain attention from an enlightened audience-nor a cattle-feeder or florist gain a trifling prize at their general "shows," without its sounds being heard as conspicuously as a postman's bell.

It should be borne in mind that there are two distinct kinds of trumpeters; besides one or two who vary more or less from either of them. Those who perform for their own enjoyment, and those who peform for the gratification of others. The object of the latter, however, is often only ostensible, the enjoyment resting exclusively with the performer. In both instances it frequently happens they seem inclined to rival their celebrated predecessors who levelled the walls of Jericho,-such prodigious efforts do they make to produce a great effect. Yet the result not unfrequently fashions itself after the well-known cry of the oriental chapman, "In the name of the prophet, figs!" The young mother, in the first period of her maternity, is apt to make many long and intricate flourishes to the honour and glory of her infant offspring, tending much to the belief, in her own mind at least, that so charming, so wonderful a little biped never before was born. The notable huswife takes for her theme management and economy, and presents it in every possible variety of phrase, doubtless to the vast delight of her helpmate, when, as it usually happens, he has a particular disinclination towards such homely strains. The stately noble, who seems never to tire of trumpeting the honourableness of his genealogy though the most prominent of

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