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inftructed in the fongs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred, fourfcore, and eight '.""Moreover, four thousand praised the Lord with the inftruments which I made, (faid David,) to praise therewith "."

Lefs perhaps is known concerning the mufical inftruments of the ancient Hebrews than any other part of the holy fcriptures. The writings of Mofes, the Prophets, and the Chronicles, mention eleven forts of mufical inftruments: but, according to Calmet's Critical Differtations, they had fixteen '. And, as the Cymry, Ancient Britons, or Welfh, are faid to be originally of the Tribe of Gomer 4, the eldest fon of Japheth; therefore, their musical instruments, probably, were thence derived.

The inftrument, upon which King David performed, was the Kinnor, or Harp; which is likewise called the Hafur; that is, the tenth, or ten-ftringed inftrument: This is the inftrument David played upon before Saul. It was made of the wood of the algum-tree; a species of fine cedar. It was the Harp that the Babylonian captives hung upon the willows, growing upon the banks of the Euphrates3. Also, the women played upon this inftrument 9. It was very common at Tyre 10; and was chiefly defigned for the eighth band of muficians belonging to the tabernacle in the time of David ". This ancient Kinnor, which is so often mentioned in fcripture, and called by Daniel, Kitros 12, was, according to all the fathers who have given us a description of it, an inftrument of a triangular form, whofe ftrings were stretched from the top to the bottom, and whofe hollow part, whence the found proceeded, was at the bottom; they played upon it at the top, with the fingers 13. The Kinnor 14 (or Harp) is rendered in the Septuagint, by Kinnyra, Pfalterion, and Cythara 15. It was in ufe before the flood

12

The Nable, Nebel, or Pfalterion, was likewise a musical inftrument of very near the fame shape with the Harp; only, it had twelve ftrings". And, Ovid tells us, they played upon it with both hands, as we do on our Harp ";

18

Difce etiam duplici genialia Nablia palmâ

Plettere: conveniunt dulcibus illa modis.

21

Sopater, quoted in Athenæus, tells us 19: the Nable of the ancients was a ftringed inftrument; and called Sidonian, because the Phanicians were fupposed to be the inventors of it. The feptuagint, commonly translate Nebel by Pfalterion 20, and that it was of the form of the letter della "A; it was made use of in the pompous and folemn ceremonies of religion. The Rabbins say, that they never made use of less than two Nables in the temple, nor more than fix 22. The Nable and the Hafur would feem to be the fame, were they not expressly distinguished in Pfalm XCII. upon the Hafur, and upon the Nable; and by the distinct number of their ftrings.-

The ancients speak likewise of a stringed inftrument called Trigónos, or triangular; which, by the refemblance of its figure, appears to be the same with the Harp. Juba fays it was invented by the Syrians 23, others give it the epithet of Phrygian, or Perfian 24. that the Barian and Phrygian damfels worshipped the

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I. Samuel, chap. XVI. v. 23.

7 And the fervants alfo of Huram, and the fervants of Solomon, which brought gold from ophir, brought algum trees, and precious ftones. And the king made, of the algum trees, terraces to the houfe of the Lord, and to the king's palace, and harps and pfal. teries for fingers. And there were none fuch feen before in the land of Judah.-II. Chronicles, chap. IX. v. 11 and 12.— 1. Kings, chap. X. v. 12.-Il. Samuel, chap. VI. v. 5. 8 Pfalm, CXXXVII. 2.

9 Ifaiah, XXIII. 16.-I. Chronicles, XV. 20. 10 Ezekiel, XXVI. 13.-Ifaiah, as before cited.

"1. Chronicles, XV. 21. (Psalm VI. and XI.) Our English wanflation of this place is thus: with harps on the Sheminith to

Diogenes, the tragedian, quoted in Athenæus, fays,
goddess Diana, in fhady groves, with the found of

excel; which, according to Calmet, fhould be, with harps to prefide
over the Sheminith, or eighth band of musicians.
12 Daniel, III. 5, 7, 10.

13 Calmet's Critical Differtation.

14 999 Κίθαρο, Ψαλτήριον Κινύρα.

15 St. Jerom, who wrote about the year 400, fays, the KI APA, (kithara, or cithara), is of the shape of the Greek letter delta, A, had 24 ftrings, and was played upon with the fingers.

16

Genefis, chap. IV. v. 21.

17 I. Kings, X. 12, and II. Chronicles, IX. 11. Pfalm, XCII. v. 3. Jofephus's Antiquities of the Jews, book VII. chap. XII. 3. 18 Ovid, Lib. 3. de Arte.

19 Athenæus, lib. 4, cap. 25, p. 175, and Eufebius, in Pfalm XXX.

20 The Pfaltery, as handed down to us, is a flat inftrument, or a kind of dulcimer of a triangular form. I have feen others of the upright fort, which had ftrings on both fides of them, one of which was brought from Germany.

21 Caffiodorus, (and St. Ifidorus), Præfat. in Pfalm.
22 Calmer's Critical Differtations by Tindal.

23 Athenæus, 1. 4. c. 23, p. 175,

24 Vide eundem, 1. 14. c. 19, p. 636.

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the Pectis and Perfian Trigonos. A Greek author, named Jofeppos', fays, the Egyptian pricfts played upon

it on their festival days. The Trigon, or a kind of triangular Harp, is represented, in Voyage Pitteresque dé Naples, from an ancient painting in, the mufeum of the King of Naples 3.

Having now investigated the probable origin of the Harp amongst the Hebrews, it will be neceffary to endeavour to trace its fource, ufe, and progrefs, among the Ancient Britons, or Welsh; and, what will greatly affift to elucidate this fubject is, that the Cymry, or Aboriginal Britons, have retained their primitive cuftoms more pure than any other Celtic tribe. Every nation have their particular tafte, genius, temper, and fancy, indelible by any revolution of time, government, or education."

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Cafar fays, that Druidifm is supposed to have originated in Britain. This religious order was a branch of the Bardic System; alfo, we are informed, by Ammianus Marcellinus, (and others,) that, The BARDS fang of the exploits of valiant heroes in fweet Tunes adapted to the melting notes of the melodious Harp. Therefore, the Harp was a Bardic inftrument, and was played by them, from the earliest period, both at their facred ceremonies and at their other celebrations".

Diodorus Siculus, who wrote about 45 years before Chrift, fpeaking of the Britons, or Celts, fays, "Among them they have poets, that fing melodious fongs, whom they call Bards; who, to their musical inftruments like unto Lyres, chant forth the praifes of fome and the cenfures of others. There are likewife among them philofophers and divines, whom they call Druids, and are held in great veneration and esteem. Prophets, likewife, they have, whom they highly honour, who foretel future events "."

Diodorus Siculus, out of Hecateus, defcribes the Hyperboreans, (which are the Britons, according to Carte's History of England, Rowland's Mona Antiqua, and others,) and says, "There is an ifland in the ocean over against Gaul, (as big as Sicily,) under the Artic Pole, where the Hyperboreans inhabit, fo called because they lie far north. That the foil there is very rich and fruitful; and the climate temperate, infomuch as there are two crops in the year. They say that Latona was born there, and therefore that they worship Apollo above all other Gods; and, because they are daily faying fongs in praife of this god, and afcribing to him the highest honours, they fay that these inhabitants demean themselves as if they were Apollo's Priefts, who has there a stately grove and renowned temple of a round form, beautified with many rich gifts. That there is a city likewife confecrated to this God, whofe citizens are most of them harpers, who, playing on the Harp, chant facred hymns to Apollo in the temple, fetting forth his glorious acts. The Hyperboreans use their own natural language: but, of long and ancient time, have had a special kindness for the Grecians; and more especially for the Athenians and the Delians. And that fome of the Grecians paffed over to the Hyperboreans, and left behind them divers prefents, (or things dedicated to the Gods,) infcribed with Greek characters; and that Abaris 9 formerly travelled thence into Greece, and renewed the ancient league of friendship with the Delians 10" To these accounts are added, fchools of philofophers, which could be no other than those of the Druids, Bards, and Ovyddion

1 Jofeppes, apud Thom. Galle, Not. ad Jamblic.
Voyage Pittorefque de Naples et de Sicile, par Mr. Saint
Non; tom. 2d, p. 45; et p. 137.

3 The Hebrew Shalihim is another fort of inftrument, which
the Seventy have rendered by Cymbala, and St. Jerom by Siftra.
It is mentioned but once in all Scripture, and that is in the defcrip-
tion of David's triumph after his victory over Goliah. The wo-
men came out to meet Saul and David, finging and dancing, with
tabrets and with Shalihim. This term is derived from a root
fignifying three; and therefore fome will have it to be an inftru-
ment of three strings, others an inftrument of a triangular form,
which feems to be the most probable. Those, who now play on the
cymbal, were wont formerly to accompany it with the found of a
triangular inftrument, made of a rod of steel, on which were rings,
that moved up and down the triangle, by means of an iron rod,
which they had in their left hand, whilst they held up the inftru-
ment in their right by a ring, to give it a free motion. It is not
unlikely but that the fcriptures, by the word Shalibim, mean this
ancient inftrument.

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5 Cafar's Commentaries, book VI. chap. 13. But Borlafe's An tiquities of Cornwal gives the fulleft account of the Druids.

See p. 3. and p. 27.- Ammianus Marcellinus, book XV. chap. 9, (who lived in 390).-Carte's Hiftory of England, vol. I. p. 61 and p. 43-Athenæus, lib. VI.-Strabo, lib. I. lib. IV.-Dio-. dorus Siculus, lib. V. chap. 2; and lib. II. chap. 3.--Lucan, lib. I. 447.—And Tacitus, lib. IV. cap. 54; lib. XIV. 30, 31.Tyfilio's Britifb Hiftory-Fabian's Chronicle, p. 32, ed. 1533and Lewis's Hiftory of Britain, chap. XXXV. lib. 67.

7 Diodorus, the Sicilian, tranflated by Booth, book V. chap. II. p. 189.

Lewis's Hiftory of Britain, p. 35, fays there was a temple of Apollo in London.

9 Abaris is faid to have taught Pythagoras the doctrine of tranfmigration of fouls. Carte's Hiftory of Britain, p. 61 to 69; and Lewis's Ancient Hiftory, p. 7. See fome account of Abaris, the British Philofopher, or Druid, in p. 8 of this work.

10 Diodorus, the Sicilian, tranflated by Booth, book II. chap. III. and p. 77, &c.

11 Carte's Hiftory of England, vol. I. p. 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 67.-Strabo, lib. IV.- Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. XV, chap q— Herodotus, lib. IV.-Pythagoras, chap. XIX.-And Rowland's Mona Antiqua, p. 76.

Blegywyrd

Blegywryd ab Seifyllt, King of Britain, about 160 years before Chrift, is faid to have been a celebrated mufician, and performer on the Harp, &c. and therefore he was called the God of Mufic. Likewife, the ancient Welsh Laws mention the Harp as one of the indifpenfible accomplishments for a gentleman'; and they enumerate three diftinct Harps; thus ;

Tair Telyn gyvreitkiawl y fydd:
1. Telyn y Brenin;

2. Telyn Pencerdd;
3. A Thelyn Gwrda.

Three Harps are allowed by the Law:
1. The Harp of the King;

2. The Harp of a doctor of mufic;
3. And the Harp of a gentleman.

The two first were valued at 120 pence, each; and the Tuning key at 24 pence. The Harp of a gentleman (or baron) was valued at 60 pence; and its Tuning key 12 pence 3..

Gwerth y ddwy gyntav: chweugaint a dál bób un; a phedair ar bugant ar eu Cyweirgorn. Telyn Gwrda, triugaint a dál, a'i Chyweirgorn deuddeg ceiniawg. Leges Wallicae, pp. 415, 226, 267, and 307. Therefore, from all these various inftances, we may fairly infer, that the aboriginal Britons had the Harp, prior to any other nation, except the Hebrews'.

In former times, a professor of this favourite inftrument, the Harp, had many privileges; his lands were free, and his perfon facred, by the law. It was the office of the ancient Bard, to fing to his Harp before, and after battle; the old fong, called Unbeniaeth Prydain, or the Monarchal Song of Britain; which contained the exploits of the most worthy and diftinguished heroes, and to infpire others to imitate their glorious example 7.

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The famous Hallelujah victory deferves to be mentioned, which was gained by the Britons, under the conduct of Germanus, over the united forces of the Saxons and Picts, about A. D. 447, at Gwyd-grug, (or Mold,) in Flintshire; where the place of battle is called to this day Maes Garmon, i. e. the field of German. Likewife the church of Llanarmon is dedicated to St. German, and called after his name; and probably the image, which is ftill to be feen in the church-wall, was intended to represent that faint.

When Colgrin was befieged in the city of York by king Arthur, in the fifth century, Badulf affumed the character of a Harper, and by that ftratagem he gained admiffion to devife with his brother 10. King Eifred alfo made ufe of the fame difguife, and by that means he had an opportunity to reconnoitre the Darifh camp, which was then in Somerfetfhire "

In the beginning of the tenth century, Anlaf, king of the Ifles, invaded the north of England with a prodigious army of Danes; he was refolved to explore the fituation of the English camp, and the condition of their army, before he engaged; and, disguifing himself like a minstrel, went into it as far as the king's tent, where he played upon his Harp with fo much skill, that he was easily admitted. King Athelstan was then at dinner with his chief officers, who were all agreeably entertained with the mufic; but, the repaft being over, the musician was difmiffed with an handfome reward; which difdaining to carry off, he buried it in the ground. A foldier, who had formerly ferved under him, obferving this action, was confirmed by it in his fufpicion that the disguised Harper was Anlaf, and gave notice of it to Athelftan, who blamed the man for not difcovering it fooner, that he might have feized his enemy. However, in confequence of the informa

See the 1st and 2nd page.-Tyfilio's British Hiftory.-Fabian's Chren. t. 37, ed. 1533 -Ana Lewis's Hift. of Brit. p. 67, and chap. XXXV

2

Leges Wallicae, published by Dr. Wotton, and Mofes Williams, P. 301-And p. 56 and 79 of this book.-Bede, lib. IV. cap. 24. 3 See pp. 10, 11, 12, 26, 27. and 28, &c. of this work. Likewife, the Ancient British Triads, in p. 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, and 86.

"Over the Celts reigned Bardus, a man famous for his invention of verfes and mulic. And Caius fays, "Quin et primos muficos (telle Cafare) Britannia peperit, quos Bardos olim dicebant, atque achuc Cambri dicunt, a Bardo quodam Britannorum Rege, homine inventione carminum et mufices inclito, ut Berous memoriæ tradidit." Lewis's Hiftory of Britain, p. 8. chap. VI —S、e alto p. 26, 27, and 19, of the Bards.

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tion, Athelstan prepared himself for the danger, and proved victorious the following day. This happened at Weondune, near Brunfbury, in Northumberland'.

Giraldus Cambrenfis, who wrote a defcription of Cambria, about the year 1188, fpeaks of the hofpitality and liberality of the Welsh, in his time, as follows; "There is no beggar among thefe people; for their hofpitality is common to every body: generofity they prefer to every other virtue. Travellers, when they enter a houfe, deliver their arms to be laid by, and immediately are hofpitably entertained, being offered water to wash their feet, which is the manner of invitation with this nation. Their young men, therefore, who are devoted to arms, and hunting, roam from houfe to houfe, and make every place their home, unless they are called out to defend their country. Thofe who come at early hours are entertained with the converfation of young Women, and with Tunes on the Harp, all along to the evening for here every family hath its damfels, and Harps affigned for this purpofe.

Every family too is here well skilled in all the knowledge of the Harp. In the evening, when strangers have ceafed coming, an entertainment is prepared, according to the number and dignity of the guefts, and according to the abilities of the family; when the kitchen is not loaded with divers dishes, and with incitements to appetite; nor is the house adorned with tables, and towels; thefe people ftudy nature more than ornament. They lay before the guests large dishes of herbs. The mafter and miftrefs of the feat are carefully serving their guests, nor do they ever eat themfelves before the company have been satisfied; that, if there fhould be deficiency, it may fall to their own fhare 2."

"Ireland makes ufe of only two inftruments, namely, the Harp and the Drum. Scotland has three, namely, the Harp, the Drum, and the Crwth. And Wales has the Harp, the Pipes, and the Crwth. The Irith too make use of ftrings of brass oftener than thofe made of hide or gut

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Giraldus likewife gives a curious account of the effects of mufic, and fays, "The fweetness of mufic not only delights with its harmony, it has its advantages alfo. It not a little exhilarates dejected minds; it clears the clouded countenance, and removes fupercilioufnefs and aufterity. Harmony is a kind of food to the mind. Whatever be our pursuit, music affits application, and quickens genius. It gives courage to the brave, and affifts the devotions of the pious. Hence it is, that the bishops, abbots, and holy men, in Ireland are used to have the Harp about them, and pioufly amufe themselves with playing it; for which reason, the Harp of holy Kejeinus + is held in fuch great eftimation by the original inhabitants. Befides, the warlike trumpet fends forth a mufical confonance, when its clangor gives the fignal for the attack. Mufic has its effects on the vicious as well as the virtuous. The ftory of Alexander is well known; fo is likewife that of David driving the evil fpirit from Saul. Mufic has a power to alter our very nature. Hence the Irish, the Spanish, and fome other nations, amidst their funeral wailings, bring forth mufical lamentations, either to increafe, or diminish their grief. Ifidor hath faid, that without Mufic no inftitution of difcipline is perfect. The very world is faid to have been Harmoniously created.'

Galileo, in his Dialogue on Ancient and Modern Mufic, written in the year 1582, has given a very interefting paffage refpecting the Harp, which I fhall infert here literally tranflated: "Among the stringed inftruments now used in Italy, we have, in the first place, the Harp; which is in fact nothing but the ancient Cithara, with a great number of ftrings, differing fomewhat in form, but that chiefly owing to the tafte of the artists of thofe times, the number of ftrings, and their degree of tenfion; the extreme highest and lowest comprising upwards of three octaves. This very ancient inftrument was brought to us from Ireland, (as Dante 7 has recorded,) where they are excellently made, and in great number; and the inhabitants of which ifland have practised on it for many and many centuries; its being alfo the particular badge of the kingdom, and, as such, frequently painted and sculptured on their public edifices and coins, the people alledging, as the cause of it, that they are defcended from the Royal prophet David. The Harps ufed by them are much larger than ours, and they are usually mounted with ftrings of brafs, and fome of steel, in the acute part, of the fame kind as the Clavichord, (or a kind of Spinnet.) The performers upon them

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are wont to let the nails of both their hands grow to a confiderable length, trimming them with great care in the manner we fee the quil's on the jacks of the Spinnets. The number of strings are 54, 56, and as far as 60; whereas we read, that among the Jews the Cithara or Pfalterion of the prophet, had only 10 ftrings. The diftribution of the ftrings of one of thefe Harps, (which I obtained a few months ago, by means of a very obliging gentleman of Ireland,) I found, on careful examination, to be the fame as that of the Harp with a double row of strings, which was a few years ago introduced into Italy; although fome (without a shadow of reason) affert, that they have lately invented it, endeavouring to perfuade the vulgar, that none but themfelves can play upon it or understand its temperament, which they hold in fuch great eflimation, that they have, ungratefully denied it to many; in fpite of whom, however, I will here defcribe it, for the fake of thofe who may defire it': The 58 ftrings, which are mounted on the Harp, contain four octaves, and one tone; not major or minor, as fome have imagined, but of the measure which I have above faid to be contained in a key inftrument. The loweft ftring, therefore, as well for a sharp as for a flat, is double C; and the highest ftring is D in alt: when they are to be tuned for B flat, the 16 lower ftrings on the left fide are to be diftributed according to the nature of the common diatonic, and the 14. that are in the oppofite row to thefe, that is, on the right fide, (leaving apart the unison of D and A,) muft give, as we may fay, the cromatic kind, agreeable in its nature to the faid diatonic. The 15 that follow next, afcending the fcale,, are to be tempered diatonically, according to the mode of the 16 lower ones, on the left fide. The 13, that follow next above the first 16, are now to do the office of the lower ones on the right, as may be feen in the example 2. If then you want to play in B natural, let the flats of each diatonic be altered, and tuned in one or the other of the cromatics, inftead of the B flat; and let thefe be put in the place of thofe in the diatonic, both on the right and the left. This mode of proceeding was fo ordered by its author for the convenience and facility of the fingers of both hands, particularly in making diminutions, and lengthening founds. We find thus among the faid ftrings: five times C, five D, four E, four F, four G, four A, four B flat, and four B natural. Four unifon of D, four. unifon of A. Four fharps of c, four fharps of f, four fharps of g, and the four flats of e; which in all make the number of 58 ftrings. But there are wanting, for the perfection of the diverfity of harmony, the four fharps of d, and the four flats of a; for which, in thofe modes, or melodies, where thefe ftrings occur, their unifons, which are among the cromatic ftrings, are accommodated to them; which unifon prodaces a great facility in the diminutions, as appears manifeftly in practice; which facility is the cause that they are generally diftributed in the manner I have mentioned.

The Harp is fo fimilar to the Epigonium and the Simicum3, that it may with reafon be faid to be one of them; nor do I think he would be much mistaken, who fhould maintain, that the ftrings were tuned in the fame manner and proportion in the one as in the other inftrument, feeing that thefe inftruments were not introduced till after they began to play in confonant parts; and what diftribution is beft adapted to this, has been fully explained.

Galileo continues as follows: "And let all others of fo bad, z difponition remember, that if those men, diftinguished in divers noble profeflions, had not, with fo much labour of their own, and for the benefit of posterity, left behind fo many volumes concerning thole arts, they would now be perfectly ignorant of them, and the fame of thofe would now be wholly obfcured. Whereas, by means of the excellence of their writings, they live for ever in our memory, and every one may thereby become very fkilful, and at the fame time (we may truly day) happy; if in fact happinets in this world conhits in nothing but to know and underitand the truth of things. Prompted by whole exampie, the noble and virtuous minds of our times readily take pois to learn the fciences, for no other purpofe but to facilitate and illustrate them by their writings, without ever refufing, or concealing, any thing they know, to those who do not know it, and with to learn it. Thofe ungrateful perfons do not perceive, that, the little they know, they have learnt from the one and the other; who, if they had been tenacious, or unwilling to impart thefe, muft needs have been very unhappy."

2 In the plate, or fcale of the rings of this Harp, described in Galileo, p. 144, it had 29 ftrings in each of the two rows; that is, Dat top, and DD at bottom, in the right-hand row; and C at top, and CC at bottom, in the left-hand row. It feems they were tuned in different keys, as occafions required them; and part of one row and part of the other ferved for the inciden

61

tal flats and sharps; the remainder were unifons in both rows.

3" To tell you briefly what I think of the Epigonium, and the Simicum, I hold that the matter and form was a wooden frame, in both fomewhat fimilar to that of a Harp. However. I fubmit to the better judgement of thofe who understand the matter better than I do. The Epigonium was invented by Epigonius of Ambracia, the head of a famous fect, a little before, or after, Socrates, as we are told by Porphirius, in his notes upon the mulic of Ptolemy. Which Epigonius (as is afferted by Julius Pollux) was the first who ufed to strike the ftrings with the fingers, instead of the plectrum; which manner of touching the itrings, together with the number of them, argues that he played in confonant parts; which manner was afterwards (as we learn from Suetonius Tranquillus) followed alfo by Nero; that author telling us, that Nero, having once app ared publicly in the theatre, in the midst of feveral musicians, firit played a very pretty prelude with his fingers, and then began to fing Galileo's Dialogue on Mufic, p. 39.-As to the Simicum, fome fay it was invented by Simicus, and that it had 35 ftrings; that is, 22 diatonic notes, belide the unifons, and perhaps' cromatics. Probaby it must have been invented prior to the Epigonium, which had 40 ftrings; 20 of them are faid to have been diatonics, and the others were unifons and cromatics.-Grafineau's Mufical Dictionary, p. 149. And Galileo, pp. 39 and 40.

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