The general interest in the question of musical education, both elementary and artistic, which has found an echo in the voluminous correspondence published in the Times, makes a more comprehensive treatment of the subject seem desirable. That improvement of some kind is needed if England is to occupy a leading position among musical nations is admitted on all sides; but as to the means by which this improvement is to be brought about opinions differ widely. One need not share Sir George Bowyer's pessimist view of his countrymen's musical capabilities to perceive that the large sum we annually spend to teach school-children to sing “by ear” is to a great extent thrown away. Mr. Hullah would be willing to admit this. On the other hand, scarcely any expense would be too large if the result were to diffuse among the masses a fair amount of knowledge of the most refining of the arts. But the reform of elementary teaching alone is not sufficient to make us a musical nation—we mean actively musical in the highest sense, for that we are receptively so it would be absurd to deny. Our future Beethoven cannot acquire his counterpoint at a Board School, nor our future Mario his training by singing; in the chorus at the Norwich Festival.