listen to very carefully.

BESSIE. But I like it, and will take pains to listen just as closely as
I can.

DOMINIE. When several tones are struck at the same time, if they sound
well together, they make what we call a chord. But there are both major
and minor chords: the major chord sounds joyous, gay; the minor, sad,
dull, as you would say; the former laugh, the latter weep. Now take
notice whether I am right. (I strike the chord of C major; then, after a
short pause, that of C minor; and try, by a stronger or lighter touch,
to make her listen first to the major and then to the minor chords. She
usually distinguishes correctly; but it will not do to dwell too long
upon these at first, or to try to enforce any thing by too much talk and
explanation.) Now I will tell you that the difference in the sounds of
these chords is in the third, counted upwards from the lower note _c_,
and depends upon whether you take it half a tone higher or lower, _e_
or _e_ flat. I shall explain this better to you by and by, when you come
to learn about the tonic, the third, the fifth or dominant, the octave,
and so on. (It is advantageous and psychologically correct to touch
occasionally, in passing, upon points which will be more thoroughly
taught later. It excites the interest of the pupil. Thus the customary
technical terms are sometimes made use of beforehand, and a needful,
cursory explanation given of them.) That is right; you can tell them
pretty well already; now we will repeat once more the names of the keys,
and then we will stop for to-day. Just see how many things you have
learned in this lesson.

BESSIE. It was beautiful!