The singing of birds acts almost entirely upon the centers of the breast.

Birds, which live by flight, impelled from the strong conscious-activity of the breast and shoulders, have become for us symbols of the spirit, the upper mode of consciousness.

Their legs have become idle, almost insentient twigs.
Only the tail flirts from the center of the sensual will.
But their singing acts direct upon the upper, or spiritual centers in us.

So does almost all our music, which is all Christian in tendency.
But modern music is analytical, critical, and it has discovered the power of ugliness.

Like our martial music, it is of the upper plane, like our martial songs, our fifes and our brass-bands.