beginning, and if small, is yet earnest and determined. From the first
days of a great man's life to the last we find constant effort. "I
consider those live best who study best to become as good as
possible."[64] Music helps us to keep the upper windows open; that is
why it does so much for us even if we have but one talent.

To develop our one talent is a duty, just as it is a duty to develop
two or five talents. It is given to us to increase. And no one knows
how much joy may come to us and to others from the growing of that
talent. We gain much in power to give pleasure to others, if the
talent we have be made stronger by faithful effort. As we have seen
good come forth from the story of the man with many talents, we can
see how, similarly, he with one talent has also great power with which
he may add unto himself and others.

In all of our Talks it has been evident from what we have said, that
music is a beautiful art to us, even though we may have but little of
it. But equally we have learned, that for ever so little we must prove
ourselves worthy. We must honestly give something for all we get. This
is the law, and the purpose of all our Talks is to learn it.

We have, likewise, learned that true music, _out of the heart_, may
not at the first please us, but within it there is a great deal and we
must seek it. The history of all who have faithfully studied the works
of the great masters is, that for all the thought and time one spends
in studying master works a great gain comes. On the other hand,
everybody's experience with common music is, that while it may please
much at first and even captivate us, yet it soon tires us so that we
can scarcely listen patiently to it.