We feel it in the constitution of the air, which causes vibration--in the formation of man, possessed of the wonderful faculties enabling him to sing, to distinguish musical sounds, and to feel within his whole frame the effects of music. Man, indeed, is himself a wonderful musical instrument, made by the hand of God. He hears all nature hymning adoration and praises to its Maker--he feels the constant vibration of universal harmony around him--he is conscious that the emotions of gratitude he feels toward the Creator should be expressed, and that in the highest strains which the human mind can conceive, and the human voice can reach. Thus he calls in to his aid all those auxiliaries which nature and art afford, to supply him with associations tending to elevate the standard of his grateful expressions. Music is a sacred, a religious, a _holy_ thing. Applied to common purposes, it is pleasing and worthy of cultivation--but still it has a higher character when used for its original and more worthy purpose. The effect it produces in the former instance is to raise our _mirth_:--when used in its higher character, its effect is to produce _rapture_. It soothes when thus employed, as of old it did when David banished the evil spirit from the soul of Saul by the vibrations of his sweet-toned harp; it improves--as all good influences and pure associations ever must, when permitted their due action upon the mind; and it elevates the spirit toward the eternal source whence all its harmony flows. As it peals upon the ear, and sinks inly upon the heart of him whose mind is bent upon the thoughts of holy things--upon his creation, his present blessings and future hopes, he seems to hear That undisturbed song of pure content, Aye sung around the sapphire-colored throne, To him that sits thereon-- Where the bright seraphim, in burning row, Their loud, uplifted angel trumpets blow; And the cherubic hosts, in thousand choirs, Touch their celestial harps of golden wires. * * * * * HANDEL AND HAYDN. THE MESSIAH AND THE CREATION, A PARABLE.