The
rattle is a toy suited to the infant mind, and education is a rattle
or toy for children of a larger growth. We conclude then that they
should be taught music in such a way as to become not only critics but
performers.
The question what is or is not suitable for different ages may be
easily answered; nor is there any difficulty in meeting the
objection of those who say that the study of music is vulgar. We reply
(1) in the first place, that they who are to be judges must also be
performers, and that they should begin to practice early, although
when they are older they may be spared the execution; they must have
learned to appreciate what is good and to delight in it, thanks to the
knowledge which they acquired in their youth. As to (2) the
vulgarizing effect which music is supposed to exercise, this is a
question which we shall have no difficulty in determining, when we
have considered to what extent freemen who are being trained to
political virtue should pursue the art, what melodies and what rhythms
they should be allowed to use, and what instruments should be employed
in teaching them to play; for even the instrument makes a
difference. The answer to the objection turns upon these distinctions;
for it is quite possible that certain methods of teaching and learning
music do really have a degrading effect.
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