On Tuning an Equal Temperament. 167 



ber of notes that can be struck with one hand in any part 

 of the piano forte which she has been a little while accus- 

 tomed to play on, 



I know one tuner who, after studying ratios a little, 

 thinks with Eximeno : — " Qua! sciocchezza non e qucsta, 

 supporre la musica fondata in certe ragioni, che bisogna 

 guastare per ridurre la musica ad esecuzione ? Almeno 

 msegnasse la matematica a far quesio guastamento ; ma 

 dopo un grand' apparato di ragioni matematiche, ciascun 

 le guasta per la pratica a modo suo. I Francesi hanno 

 fatto peril temperamento del cembalo difusissimi calcoli ; 

 ma tutti egualmente capricciosi che inutili, poiche in fine 

 Vistinto senza riguardo a* numeri c' insegna ad accordar 

 gli strumenti, come c' insegna a metter insieme le lettere 

 per formar le parole, &c." p. 71. 



August 11,1810. M.* 



XXXI. An Examination of the Instructions given in an 

 anonymous Pamphlet published in 1 809, for Tuning an 

 Equal Temperament of the Musical Scale, By a Cor- 



BESPONDENT# 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, ± he table by your correspondent the Rev. Mr. Smyth, 

 at page 452 of your last volume, has enabled me to make a 

 comparison of the method of tuning laid down in a recent 

 pamphlet, sold by Becket and Co. ; and perhaps you will 

 oblige me in laying the same before your readers, with the 

 necessary plate and extracts from the pamphlet alluded to; 

 which, after some well directed sarcasms, explains the nature 

 of the musical scale and the necessity of temperament, by 

 a professed extract from Earl Stanhope's pamphlet, that 

 was reprinted in your 25th volume. It then proceeds to 

 extract Mr. Emerson's opinion, in favour of the Equal Tem- 

 perament; founded solely, on there being wo fifth in it, 

 which is tempered more than -^ part of a note; while the 

 more important circumstances are overlooked, that there 

 are in it 12 major thirds, each of which is more than -^ 

 part of a note too sharp, and 12 minor sixths as much too 

 flat; also 12 major sixths almost -fa part of a note too 

 sharp, and 12 minor thirds as much too flat. 



In page 21 of the pamphlet, I find an expression, di- 



* Can any of your readers favour me with any particulars respecting the 

 manufacture of tuning-forks, and the standard by which they are tuned? 



L 4 rectly 



