oblivion Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, and every other
such ridiculous reputation, and to fix its Millennium
(as its name implies) before the date of the first
regular musical composition known to have been achieved
in England. As this institution has not yet commenced
active operations, it remains to be seen whether the
Royal Academy of Music will be a worthy sister of the
Royal Academy of Art, and admit this enterprising body
to its orchestra. We have it, on the best authority,
that its compositions will be quite as rough and
discordant as the real old original.

Fourteen years later he makes use of a well-known phrase in
writing to his friend Wills (October 8, 1864) in reference to
the proofs of an article.

I have gone through the number carefully, and have
been down upon Chorley's paper in particular, which
was a 'little bit' too personal. It is all right now
and good, and them's my sentiments too of the Music
of the Future.[8]

Although there was little movement in this direction when
Dickens wrote this, the paragraph makes interesting reading
nowadays in view of some musical tendencies in certain quarters.


[1] In his speech at Birmingham on 'Literature and Art'
(1853) he makes special reference to the 'great music
of Mendelssohn.'