Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

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 "."

[ocr errors]

Less 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 musical instruments: but, according to Calmet's Critical Differtations, they had fixteen 3. And, as the Cymry, Ancient Britons, or Welsh, are faid to be originally of the Tribe of Gomer, the eldest son of Japheth; therefore, their mufical inftruments, 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 Euphrates. Also, the women played upon this inftrument". It was very common at Tyre; and was chiefly defigned for the eighth band of musicians belonging to the tabernacle in the time of David". This ancient Kinnor, which is so often mentioned in fcripture, and called by Daniel, Kitros ", was according to all the fathers who have given us a description of it, an instrument of a triangular form, whose strings 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". The Kinnor 14 (or Harp) is rendered in the Septuagint, by Kinnyra, Pfalterion, and Cythara ". It was in ufe before the flood.

12

The Nable, Nebel, or Pfalterion, was likewise a mufical inftrument of very near the same shape with the Harp; only, it had twelve strings". And, Ovid tell us, they played upon it with both hands, as we do on our Harp 18:

Difce etiam duplici genialia Nablia palmá

Plectere: conveniunt dulcibus illa modis.

21

Sopater, quoted in Athenæus, tell us 29: the Nable of the ancients was a ftringed inftrument; and called Sidonian, because the Phanicians were supposed to be the inventors of it. The feptuagint, commonly translate Nebel by Pfalterion 20, and that it was of the form of the letter delta "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 Nebels in the temple, nor more than fix ". 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 strings.-

22

The ancients speak likewife of a 9 ftringed inftrument called Trigonos, or triangular; which, by the re femblance of its figure, appears to be fomething like the Harp. Juba fays it was invented by the Syrians 23, others give it the epithet of Phrygian, or Perfian 24. Diogenes, the tragedian, quoted in Athenæus, fays, that the Bactrian and Phrygian damfels worfhhipped the goddess Diana, in fhady groves, with the found of

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

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

And the fervants of the Hiram, 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 house of the Lord, and to the king's palace, and harps and pfalteries for fingers. And there were none fuch feen before in the land of Judah.-II. Chronicles, chap. IX. v. 11 and 12.-I. Kings, c. X. v. 12.-II. Samuel, c. VI. v. 5. 8 Pfalm, CXXXVII. 2.

9

Ifaiah, XXIII. 16. I. Chronicles, XV. 20.

10 Ezekiel, XXVI. 13.-Isaiah, as before cited.

"1. Chronicles, XV.21, (Pfalm VI. and XII.) Our English tranflation of this place is thus: with harps on the Sheminith

to 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.

3 Calmet's Critical Differtation.

14

99 Κίθαρα Ψαλτηριον Κιννυρά.

15 St. Jerom, who wrote about the year 400, fays, the KI@APA, (kithara, or cithara), is of the fhape 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. Pfalm XXXIII. v. 2.

18 Ovid,lib. 3. de Arte.

19 Athenæus, lib. 4, cap. 23, 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 seen others of the upright fort, which had strings on both fides of them, one of which was brought from Germany. "Caffiodorus, (and St. Ifidorus), Prefat. in Pfalm.

22 Calmet's Critical Differtations by Tindal.

23 Athenæus, 1. 4. c. 23, p. 175, ́

→ Vide eundem, 1. 14. c 19, p. 636.

34

the.

93

AN ACCOUNT OF THE HARP AMONG THE ANCIENT BRITONS.

the Pectis, and Perfian Trigonos. A Greek author, named Jofeppos', fays, the Egyptian priests played upon it on their festival days. The Trigon, or a kind of triangular Harp, is reprefented, in Voyage Picturesque de Naples, from an ancient painting in the museum 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 Welfh; 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 has their peculiar tafte, genius, temper, and fancy, indelible by any revolution of time, government, or education."

Cafar fays, that Druidifm is fuppofed to have originated in Britain. This religious order was a branch of the Bardic Syftem; 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 mufical inftruments like unto Lyres, chant forth the praises of some, 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, likewise, they have, whom they highly honour, who foretel future events "."

Diodorus Siculus, out of Hecateus, describes the Hyperboreans, (which are the Britons, according to Carte's History of England, Rowland's Mona Antiqua, and others,) and fays, "There is an island in the ocean over against Gaul, (as big as Sicily,) under the Artic Pole, where the Hyperboreans inhabit, so called because they lie far north. That the foil there is very rich and fruitful; and the climate temperate, info-much as that there are two crops in the year. They fay that Latona was born there, and therefore that they worfhip Apollo above all other Gods; and, because they are daily faying fongs in praise of this God, and afcribing to him the highest honours, they say that these inhabitants demean themselves as if they were Apollo's Priests, 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 Atheneans and the Delian's. And that fome of the Grecians paffed over to the Hyperboreans, and left behind them divers presents, (or things dedicated to the Gods,) inscribed with Greek characters; and that Abaris' formerly travelled thence into Greece, and renewed the ancient league of friendship with the Delians "." (To thefe accounts are added, schools of philofophers, which could be no other than those of the Druids, Bards, and Ovyddion ".)

'Jofeppos, apud Thom. Galle, Not. ad Jamblic.

2

Voyage Pittorefque de Naples et de Sicile par Mr. Saint Non; tom. 2d, p. 45; et p. 137.

[ocr errors]

Cafar's Commentaries, book VI. chap. 13. But Borlafe's Antiquities of Cornwal gives the fulleft account of the Druids. See p. 3. and p. 27,- Ammianus Marcellinus, book XV. ch.. The Hebrew Shalihim is another fort of inftrument, which 9, (who lived in 390), Carte's Hiflory of England, vol. 1, p. 61 the Seventy have rendered by Cymbala, and St. Jerom by Siftra. and p. 43.-Athenæus, lib. VI.-Strabo, lib. I. lib. IV. DioIt is mentioned but once in all Scripture, and that it is in the dorus Siculus, lib. V. chap. 2; and lib. II. chap. 3.-Lucan, defcription of David's triumph after his victory over Goliah. lib. I. 447.-And Tacitus, lib. IV. cap. 54; lib. XIV. 30, 31, The women came out to meet Saul and David, finging and-Tyfilio's British Hiftory.-Fabian's Chronicle, p. 32, ed. 1533. dancing, with tabrets and with Shalihim. This term is derived-and Lewis's Hiflory of Britain, chap. XXXV. lib. 67. from a root fignifying three; and therefore fome will have it to be "Diodorus, the Sicilian, tranflated by Booth, book V. chap. an inftrument of three ftrings, others an inftrument of a tri- II. p. 189. angular 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 fteel, 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 inftrument in their right by a ring, to give it a free motion. It is not unlikely but that the fcriptures, by the word Shaliskim, mean this ancientinftrumentt. I Samuel, XVIII. 6,

+ Calmer's Collection of Critical Differtations on the Old and New Teftament with additional notes by Tindal, pp. 95, 98.—And Pignarius de Sarvis,

p. 88.

[merged small][ocr errors]

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

Abaris is faid to have taught Pythagoras the doctrine of tranfmigration of fouls. Carte's Hiflory of Britain, p. 61 to 69; and Lewis's Ancient Hiflory, 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.

"Carte's Hiflory of England, vol. I. p. 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 67-Strabo, lib. IV.-Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. XV. chap. 9. Herodotus, lib. IV.-Pythagoras, chap. XIX.—And Row. land's Mona Antiqua, p. 76.

Blegywryd

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

Tair Telyn gyvreithiawl y fydd :

1. Telyn y Brenin ;
2. Telyn Pencerdd;

3. A Thelyn Gwrda.

Gwerth y ddwy gyntav: chweugaint a dál bôb un ; a phedair ar hugaint ar eu Cyweirgorn. Telyn Gwrda, triugaint a dál, a'i Chyweirgorn deuddeg ceiniawg, Leges Wallicae, pp. 415, 226, 267, and 307.

The three lawful Harps:

i. The Harp of the King;

2. The Harp of a master 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 pence3.

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 5.

In former times, a profeffor of this favourite instrument, the Harp, had many privileges; his lands were free, and his person 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. "But heed, ye Bards, that for the fign of onfet

[ocr errors]

"Ye found the ancienteft of all your rhymes,.

"Whose birth tradition notes not, nor who fram'd
"Its lofty ftrains "."--

The famous Hallelujah victory deserves 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 Gwydd-grug, (or Mold,) in Flintshire; where the place of battle is called to this day Maes Garmon, i. e. the field of German. Likewise, the church of Llanarmon is dedicated to St. German, and called after his name; and probably the image, which is still to be seen 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 Alfred alfo made use of the fame disguise, and by that means he had an opportunity to reconnoitre the Danish camp, which was then in Somersetfire ".

In the beginning of the tenth century, Anlaf, king of the Isles, 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 disguised himself like a minstrel, went into it as far as the king's tent, where he played upon the Harp with so much skill, that he was eafily admitted. King Athelstan was then at dinner with his chief officers, who were all agreeably entertained with the mufic; but, the repast being over, the musician was difmiffed with a handsome reward; which disdaining to carry off, he buried it in the ground. A foldier who had formerly ferved under him, obferving the 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 discovering it sooner, that he might have seized his enemy. However, in consequence of the informa

See the 1ft and 2nd page--Tyffilio's British Hiflory.-Fabian's Chron. f. 32, ed. 1533.-And 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. chap. 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 verses, and mufic. And Caius fays, "Quin et primos muficos (tefte Cafare,) Britannia peperit, quos Bardos olim dicebant, atque achuc Cambri dicunt, a Bardo quodam Britannorum Rege, homine inventione carminum et mufices inclito, ut Berofus memoriæ tradidit." Lewis's Hift. of Brit. p. 8. Chap. VI.-See also p. 26, 27, and 79, of this work.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

95 A DISSERTATION on the HARP, and other MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS of WALES, &c.

tion, Athelstan prepared himself for the danger, and proved victorious the following day. This happened at Waundune, near Brumford, in Northumberland ‘.

Giraldus Cambrenfis, who wrote a description of Cambria, about the year 1188, fpeaks of the hospitality and liberality of the Welsh, in his time, as follows; " There is no beggar among these 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 hospitably 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 house to house, and make every place their home, unless they are called out to defend their country. Those 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 purpose.

1

Every family too is here well skilled in all the knowledge of the Harp. In the evening, when strangers have ceased coming, an entertainment is prepared, according to the number and dignity of the guests, 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; these people study nature more than ornament. They lay before the guests large dishes of herbs. The master and miftrefs of the feast are carefully ferving their guests, nor do they ever eat themselves before the company have been fatisfied; that, if there should be deficiency, it may fall to their own fhare"."

"Ireland makes use 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 Irish too make use of strings of brafs, oftener than those made of hide, or gut '."

Giraldus likewife gives a curious account of the effects of music, and says, "The sweetness of mufic not only delights with its harmony, it has its advantages also. It not a little exhilirates dejected minds; it clears the clouded countenance, and removes fuperciliousness and aufterity, Harmony is a kind of food to the mind. Whatever be our purfuit, mufic affifts application, and quickens genius. It gives courage to the brave, and affifts the devotions of the pious. Hence it is, that the bifhops, abbots, and holy men, in Ireland are used to have the Harp about them, and piously amuse themselves with playing it; for which reason, the Harp of holy Kejeinus is held in fuch a great estimation by the original inhabitants. Befides, the warlike trumpet fends forth a musical 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 likewise that of David driving the evil spirit 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 increase, or dimimish their grief. Ifidor hath faid, that without Music no inftitution or discipline is perfect. The very world is said to have been Harmoniously created "."

Galileo, in his Dialogue on Ancient and Modern Mufic, written in the year 1582, has given a very interesting paffage respecting the Harp, which I shall 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 taste of the artists of those times, the number of strings, 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' has recorded,) where they are excellently made, and in great number; and the inhabitants of which island have practifed on it for many and many centuries; its being alfo the particular badge of the kingdom, and, as fuch, frequently painted and sculptured on their public edifices and coins, the people alledging, as the caufe of it, that they are descended from the Royal prophet David. The Harps used by them are much larger than ours, and they are usually mounted with strings of brafs, and some of steel, in the acute part, of the fame kind as the Clavichord, (or a kind of Spinnet.) The performers upon them

▾ Carte's Hiftory of England, vol. I. p. 322.-And Malmef-monastery of Glenda'loch, in the county of Wicklow -Lives of bury, Lib. II. the British Saints, vol. I. p. 336, 4to.-And Hanmer's Chronicle, 2 Cambria Defcriptio, Chap. X.-For a farther account of the p. 60, fol. mufic of the Welth; fee p. 35 of this book.-Lyttelton's Hift. of 5 Giraldus Cambrenfis, Chap. XII. Hen. II. book II. p. 68, 4to.

3 Giraldus's Topog. of Ireland, chap. XI.

• Probably this was St. Coemgen, Keivin, or Coemgenus, who flourished about the latter end of the fifth century ; fcholar of St. Petrock the Briton. Coemgenus founded the eclebrated

Vinc. Galileo's Dialogue on Ancient and Modern Mufic, p. 143, &c. folio edition, printed at Florence in t582, and after that in 1602. Galilee was an admirable performer on the Lute.

7 Dante flourished about the year 1300.

are

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 quills on the jacks of the Spinnets. The number of ftrings 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 distribution of the strings of one of these 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 persuade the vulgar, that none but themselves can play upon it, or understand its temperament, which they hold in fuch great eftimation, that they have ungratefully denied it to many; in fpite of whom, however, I will here defcribe it, for the fake of those who may defire it': The 8 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 fad to be contained in a key'd inftrument. The loweft ftring, therefore, as well for a fharp as for a flat, is double C; and the highest string is D in alt: when they are to be tuned for B flat, the 16 lower ftrings on the left fide are to be distributed according to the nature of the common diatonic, and the 14 that are in the oppofite row to these, that is on the right fide, (leaving apart the unison of D, and A,) must give, as we may fay, the chromatic kind, agreeable in its nature to the faid diatonics. The 15 that follow next, ascending 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 chromatic, instead of the B flat and let these be arrang'd 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 said strings; five times C, five D, four E, four F, four G, four A, four B flat, and four B natural. Four unifons of D, four unifons of A. Four fharps of c, four fharps of f, four sharps 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 diversity of harmony, the four sharps of d, and the four flats of a; for which, in thofe modes, or melodies, where these strings occur, their unifons which are among the chromatic strings, are accommodated to them; which unifons duce a great facility in the diminutions, as appears manifeftly in practice; which facility is the cause that they are generally distributed in the manner I have mentioned."

[ocr errors]

;

pro

"The Harp is fo fimilar to the Epigonium and the Simicum3, that it may with reason be said to be one of them; nor do I think he would be much mistaken, who should maintain, that the strings were tuned in the fame manner and proportion in the one as in the other inftrument, seeing that these inftruments were not introduced till after they began to play in confonant parts; and what distribution is best adapted to this, has been fully explained." See more of the double stringed Harp, in page 99.

* Galileo continues as follows: "And let all others of fo bad | dental flats and fharps; the remainder were unifons in both a difpofition remember, that if thofe men diftinguished in di- the rows. vers noble profeffions, had not with fo much labour of their own, and for the benefit of pofterity, left behind so many vo- the Simicum, I hold that the matter and form was a wooden To tell you briefly what I think of the Epigonium, and lumes concerning thofe arts, they would now be perfectly ig-frame, in both somewhat fimilar to that of a Harp. However, norant of them, and the fame of those would now be wholly I fubmit to the better judgment of those who understand the obfcured. Whereas by means of the excellence of their writ-matter better than I do. The Epigonium was invented by Epiings, they live for ever in our memory, and every one may gonius of Ambracia, the head of a famous fect, a little before, or thereby become very fkilful, and at the fame time (we may truly fay) happy; if in fact happiness in this world confifts in nothing but to know and understand the truth of things. Prompted by whofe example, the noble and virtuous minds of our times readily take pains to learn the fciences, for no other purpose but to facilitate and illuftrate them by their writings, without ever refufing, or concealing, any thing they know, to thofe who do not know it, and with to learn it. Those 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, these must needs have been very unhappy."

In the plate, or fcale of the ftrings of this Harp, defcribed in Galileo, p. 144, it had 29 ftrings, in each of the two rows; that is, D. at 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 inci

after, Socrates, as we are told by Porphirius, in his notes upon the mufic of Ptolemy. Which Epigonius (as is afferted by Julius Pollux) was the firit who used to ftrike the 4rings with the fingers, inftead of the plectrum; which manner of touching the ftrings, 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 tells us, that Nero, having once appeared publickly in the theatre, in the midst of several musicians, first 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 is, 22 diatonic notes, befides the unifons, and perhaps chromafay it was invented by Simicus, and that it had 35 ftrings, that tics. Probably it must have been invented prior to the Epi. gonium, which had 40 ftrings; 20 of them are faid to have been diatonics, and the others were unifons and chromatics. Graffineau's Musical Dictionary, p. 149. and 40.

And Galileo, pp. 39

Returning

« AnteriorContinuar »