Thomas Hastings

“ As the songs under this head will be employed by the mother, chiefly in soothing her infant to sleep, or in mitigating its sufferings in hours of sickness or distress, it seems not necessary that all the language should be adapted to the infantile capacity. It may suffice that the words contain certain easy syllables or phrases, which, by their perpetual recurrence, make strong impressions upon the ear of the child. The exercise of singing should, however, be so managed as to afford pleasure to the child: for otherwise its taste will be injured. ”

“ Properly speaking, we are never to sing the consonants, but to articulate them instantly, much as in speech, though louder and with greater precision. We sing only the vowels, and hence our manner of treating them is almost the only circumstance that gives sweetness and polish to the voice.
The music which here follows, is not intended for drilling exercises. ”

“ And as the child begins in the smallest degree to play the mimic, let her in turn become the imitator, so far as to seize upon every note which has resemblance to music, and thus encourage the child to repeat its efforts. ”

“ One who wishes to acquire practical skill as a player on a musical instrument, must of necessity begin by drawing forth such tones or executing such passages, as can be mastered with the greatest facility; deferring such as are more difficult to a later period of cultivation. For all the purposes of vocal training, the mother may regard her infant child as such an instrument, not doubting but perseverance will accomplish the desired object.
There is a special season in infancy when children are full of mimickry. ”

“ Their earliest efforts in this respect will necessarily be rude, but, by constant practice, their talent is found to improve; while, at the same time they acquire an increasing fondness for the exercise. Does not nature evidently point out this period as the precise time for making musical impressions upon the child that will be strong and indelible?
Let no one suppose that the voice is necessarily injured by early cultivation. If the little one is not induced to sing too much or too loud for its general health, there will be nothing to fear. ”

“ In countries where music is continually taught in the primary schools, the children, as a matter of course, all learn to sing: and the same experiment, wherever it has been tried in our own country, has led to the same happy result. This circumstance alone shows the importance of early cultivation. If music is neglected till years of maturity, it will, in the majority of instances, continue to be disregarded through life. Infancy is undoubtedly the most favorable period for commencing the work. ”

“ The author of the following pages was one day conversing with a lady of some distinction, relative to the importance of teaching young children to sing, when a question arose—whether any thing could be done by the mother in this respect, during the period of the early infancy of her offspring? This inquiry, with the discussion that ensued, gave rise to the present publication.
Much, no doubt, can be done in early infancy, on the mere principle of imitation. Exercises for this purpose should be exceedingly simple; and, as far as possible, adapted to the infantile capacity. ”

“ Every male child, sooner or later, must pass through such a change, as the unavoidable result of physical changes in the structure or conformation of its organs. Daily, moderate practice will be the obvious and certain remedy.
Previous to the period of infantile mimickry above mentioned, the affectionate mother will often have been soothing her child with the voice of song. When that period arrives, let her continue the practice in melodies as simple as those of numbers one and two, in part first of this work. ”

“ When the Savior was on earth young children cried hosanna: and ere he is again revealed in the glories of the latter day—his praise shall be perfected out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. Yet they must first be instructed; and this work should be commenced by the mother.
[Pg 4]
INTRODUCTION.
It is a point now universally admitted among practical musicians, that all children, the deaf and dumb excepted, may be taught to sing; and that the difference of natural talent in this respect is, probably, not greater, than in reference to other departments of education. ”

“ Let her also frame some simple phrases of melody, that are very similar to those she notices in the mimickry of her child, gradually heightening their character as the child improves its vocal powers. All these exercises perhaps will be inarticulate; and in some cases the child will make more rapid progress in song than in speech.
Of all the articulations that fall from the unpractised lips of infancy, the first and perhaps the sweetest that ever greet the maternal ear, are those of ba, pa, na, ma, ta, da, followed afterwards by their compounds papa, mama, &c. ”

“ The mother should not fail to set them to music in some such clauses as these that follow
[Listen]
A considerable portion of time, it is true, may elapse, before such clauses as these will be fully understood; and the child perhaps will incline to substitute other clauses in their place, and thus become its own composer. The only important point here, is to see that its tones are rendered musical.
In process of time let the musical passages be augmented somewhat after the following method, observing to sing them in a gutteral and not in a nasal manner ”

“ Adults, with voices of a most unpromising character imaginable, have sometimes, it is true, been taught to sing. The thing in its nature is not impracticable, but it is very difficult. It requires time and labor and perseverance, such as few, comparatively, are found to possess. But with young children the task is neither difficult nor laborious. The principle chiefly employed in forming the voice is imitation. ”

“ James Alexander, Professor of Rhetoric in Princeton College, New Jersey, Mrs. Sigourney, of Hartford, Connecticut, well known as the author of occasional pieces of great poetic merit, and Mrs. Brown, of Munson, Massachusetts, the writer of several interesting anonymous hymns now in general circulation.
The object of the work, as will be readily inferred from its special characteristics, is to aid mothers in attuning the voices of their infant offspring, and inspiring them with the love of vocal music. ”

“ The faculty in question is never truly instinctive, but always in a great measure acquired. Nature furnishes us with organs, and with powers of perception. Cultivation must do the rest.
The fact that so large a portion of the present generation are unable to sing, is not to be attributed to physical deficiencies, but to unfortunate circumstances in the history of early education. ”

“ In connexion with this song, the ten commandments may be recited, in such a manner as to show their meaning, and illustrate the thoughts contained in the hymn.
[7] This is an excellent lesson for children who are prone to be talkative; especially those who have a little advanced beyond the period of early infancy.
[8] Great care should here be taken, that the sounds of the SCALE are accurately tuned; and that the suggestions given in the song, in reference to the formation of the voice, be successfully reduced to practice. ”

“ The child may be taught, in connexion with this song, how that "love is the fulfilling of the law"—love that includes all the characteristics mentioned in the gospel. The last stanza introduces also the subject of the blessed Trinity, in such a manner as to invite explanation. ”

“ Page 30, "thy" changed to "they". (... and off they fly.)
Page 32, "wont" changed to "won't". (Why won't he be kinder,...)
Page 33, "unwholsome" changed to "unwholesome". (They are unwholesome too,...)
Page 52, "A A, C" changed to "A, B, C" for consistency. (I See nothing but A, B, C.)
Page 57, "ope'ning" changed to "opening". (Its opening leaves disclos'd to view)
Page 58, "." changed to ",". (By the side of a river so clear,...)
Page 70, the figures of dotted sixteenths with thirty-second notes have been adjusted in the transcription to dotted eighths with sixteenth notes. ”