taught in all our schools....

"All this requires an organ, a regular bulletin of progress; something to
represent the movement, and at the same time help to guide it to the true
end. Very confused, crude, heterogeneous is this sudden musical activity
in a young, utilitarian people. A thousand specious fashions too
successfully dispute the place of true art in the favor of each little
public. It needs a faithful, severe, friendly voice to point out
steadfastly the models of the true, the ever beautiful, the divine.

"We dare not promise to be all this; but what we promise is, at least, an
honest report, week by week, of what we hear and feel and in our poor way
understand of this great world of music, together with what we receive
through the ears and feeling and understanding of others, whom we trust;
with every side-light from the other arts."

What was thus promised was carried out successfully, so far as the spirit
and purpose were concerned, for more than thirty years. At first the
_Journal of Music_ was an eight-page weekly, of about the size of
_Harper's Weekly_. After a time it was issued fortnightly, and the number
of pages was increased. Though small the _Journal of Music_ was varied in
contents, and published much that was of great value. The selections from
English, French, and German musical publications were well adapted to give
music a higher position in American society. Many works of great value
were translated for its pages; and whatever new or of importance was
taking place or being said in the musical world was faithfully reported.
The circulation was small at the best, for the high quality of the paper,
and the refusal of the editor to make it an organ of the interests of
publishers did not help to bring it widely before the public. Dwight would
make no compromises with what was sensational or merely popular.