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POETRY IN CONNEXION WITH THE STATE. 219and other writers, of the great severity with which the laws,especially in Sparta, insisted on the preservation of the ancient music, and the established tunes. Itmay be difficult inour days,when music is no longer considered the lever of na1tional force, to form any distinct idea of those institutionsof the ancients. But as human nature is never untrue toitself, institutions which are founded on it are always preserved to a certain extent and under certain forms. In thenineteenth century,in which there is no longer any dangerof corrupting a nation by changes in music, (although itwould be very presumptuous to give a hasty opinion on itsinfluence and effects,) no regimentis raised without itsband ;and the commander, who instead of a warlike marchshould order a dirge to be played, would justly incur thesame reproaches with him, who in ancient days made anunseasonable use of the Lydian instead of the Dorianmeasure.Lyric poetry was moreover intimately connected with thepopular religionor was in fact a result of it ; ;forhymns inpraise of the gods are mentioned as its first fruits. 2 It wastherefore important to the state as a support of the popularreligion, particularly by contributing to the splendour ofthe festivals. For when was a festival celebrated by theGreeks, and the songs of the poets not heard ? But theyreceived their greatest importance from the institution ofchoral songs. These choruses, even independent of thedrama, were the chief ornament of the festivals ;and werecomposed of persons of various ages. There were those ofyouths, of men, and of the aged ;which responded to each3other alternatelyin song. As the festivals were a publicconcern, so too were the choruses and we have no cause;to be astonished, that the preparation of them formed a partof the civil burdens.The choral song; at the festivals was as ancient as the1That in his times, when music was used only in the theatres, it had lost itsancient is the application, complaint of Plutarch, ii. 1 140.2 " Music," says Plutarch, ii. p. 1 140, " was first made use of in the templesand sacred places in praise of the gods, and forthe instruction of yamla jlong before it was introduced into the theatres, which at that time were notin existence."9 See in particular the whole oration of Demosthenes against Midias, whohad abused Demosthenes as ckoragm, or leader of the chorus.