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Often the most absurd mixture of bathos and sense will fascinate the public, while a really genuine effusion falls flat. It is cer-tain that after the internecine war the quality of the songs fell off considerably, though the quantity increased, and we must confess that some of the very worst specimens of English, music-hall songs, introduced by various bur-lesque and variety troupes, assisted in the downfall of taste and sentiment. However, the Americans are too independent not to be able to retrieve their lost position in the song world, and many clever poets and composers are working to-day towards that devoutly to be wished consummation.
And now let us turn our attention to that peculiar production, " Yankee Doodle." With all due reservation I first give what is sup-posed to be the origin of the word " Yankee." " Yankee" is stated to be an Indian corruption of the word English,—Yenglees, Yangles, Yan-klees, and finally Yankee. It grew into general use as a term of reproach thus: About the year 1713 one Jonathan Hastings, a farmer at Cambridge, in New England, used the word Yankee as a cant word to express excellence, as a Yankee (good) horse, Yankee cider, and so on. The students at the college having frequent
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