the musicians of Boston in giving a testimonial concert for the benefit of
the paper, which yielded the sum of $6000. In an editorial Dwight said of
this expression of interest in his work: "Greetings and warmest signs of
recognition, kindliest notes of sympathy (often from most unexpected
quarters), prompt, enthusiastic offers of musical service in any concert
that might be arranged, poured in upon the editor, who, all at once, found
himself the object of unusual attention. Hand and heart were offered
wherever he met an old acquaintance; everybody seemed full of the bright
idea that had struck somebody just in the nick of time. We never knew we
had so many friends."

In September, 1881, the _Journal of Music_ came to an end. The position
taken by Dwight was not that of the self-seeker; he had no gift for
turning his love for the art of music into financial results. He would not
lower the critical attitude of his journal for the sake of pleasing the
publishers of music; and he would not pretend to a love of those popular
forms of music which he held to be inferior in their character. It may be
he was not a great critic, certainly he had not the technical knowledge of
music which is desirable in its scientific expositor; but his whole soul
was in the art, and he gave it the devotion of his life. His preference
was for the older composers, and he did not yield a ready homage to those
of the newer schools. Of this he speaks in the closing number of his
journal: "Startling as the new composers are, and novel, curious,
brilliant, beautiful at times, they do not inspire us as we have been
inspired before, and do not bring us nearer heaven. We feel no inward call
to the proclaiming of the new gospel. We have tried to do justice to these
works as they have claimed our notice, and have omitted no intelligence of
them which came within the limits of our columns, but we lack motive for
entering their doubtful service; we are not ordained their prophet."