is universal, and the longing for it answers in every soul. It consists, like every piece of this kind, of five basic sections. The first is 'Lord, Have Mercy,' in which the chorus joins in four voices, ending in solo song; in it the clarity of the words is often sacrificed for the sake of the general musical design. The second is 'the Praise,' between chorus and singers; despite its joyfulness, the sufferings of Christ appear in it — the wind instruments are used for joy and the brass instruments for suffering, and all the voices share in the one and the other. The third is 'the Creed,' the faith of the apostles, in its varied manifestations and its single essence, and it ends with an 'Amen' that is all the echo of the universe's bells in the valleys at eventide, or that is all peace, bearing the believer up to heaven.

The fourth is the 'Sanctus,' in which comes the advent of the Lord, after the various instruments have shown their art in preparing that unique atmosphere, above all the wind instruments at its beginning and the strings at its end. The fifth, and last, is 'the Lamb of God,' bearer of the sins of the world; in it appear, more than before, the sufferings of Christ and His love for mankind, together with much anxiety and fear; then the brass instru-ments come forth, heralding the approach of peace of mind; then all of them join with the voices and the rest of the instruments in a great prayer suggesting complete human rest, and in it the piece attains the utmost that souls aspire to.

***

If we wish to listen to it, we have only to furnish ourselves with a heart of the kind Beethoven intended, remembering that we are in a lofty atmosphere of beautiful holiness — or holy beauty.

Lebanese artists and lovers of art still lament the absence of an official public hall in which artists might exhibit their paintings, and which would serve as a permanent exhibition for art. And although the existence of the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts has created an excellent venue of this kind, the need remains pressing for a great hall, properly lit, in which paintings may be shown. The Lebanese artist Mr. Saliba Douaihy has addressed this statement to His Excellency the President:

To His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic

Since Your Excellency has shown on numerous occasions your readiness to assist artists and to raise the standard of art in beautiful Lebanon, I come to draw Your Excellency's attention to an important matter in this regard.

Your esteemed government is proceeding with projects for the beautification of Beirut, and since the city of Beirut lacks a hall in which the products of Lebanese art may be exhibited and in which literary and artistic lectures of every kind may be delivered, we ask Your Excellency that the establishment of such a hall be included within the beautification project. You would thereby have rendered Lebanese art a great service, beside which all the financial assistance you might generously grant in this field would be feeble and unavailing; and the city of Beirut would thereby be stamped in the mold of the great, advanced cities; and Lebanese and non-Lebanese alike would have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the development of Lebanese art and its excellence.

In the hope that this request may win your lofty sympathy, I beg you, Your Excellency the President, to accept my highest respect.