bi 
HARPSICHORD. 193 
Figure 17, reprefents the palate in a back view with the 
zig zag {pring faftened by one end to the root of the tongue, 
and by the other to the little ftaple. 
To prevent the tongue from rifing by the force of the 
fpring above a horizontal pofition, there muft be a wire 
ftaple driven in the front of the palate immediately above 
the tongue (as at a, in figure 12 and 13;) and the tongue, 
if of wood, fhould be armed with a fmall piece of foft lea- 
ther juft under the ftaple, to prevent noife. 
It muft be left to future experiment to determine the 
moft proper of all fubftances of which the tongue fhould 
be made; different fubftances drawing different tones from 
the ftring. After many eflays to this purpofe, I have con- 
cluded to furnifh my harpfichord in the following manner. 
The tongues of the firft unifon are of Ben /ole-leather. 
Thofe of the fecond are of a foft leather faced with Mo-: 
rocco, fuch as is frequently ufed in harpfichords, though 
applied in a different way, and the tongues of the oftave 
are of wood, fuch as pear tree, laurel, or any wood of an: 
even grain and not too hard in fubftance. But all mount- 
ed on {prings, as above defcribed, and their faces well po- 
lifhed with black lead where they come in contact with 
the ftrings. 
My reafonsare. The fole-leather produces a full, fweet 
and vigorous tone from the firft unifon. The fecond uni- 
fon, which is the piano of the inftrument when the pedal 
is prefled, is furnifhed with Morocco leather, which draws: 
a full but more foft and {mothered tone from the ftring. 
And the octave is ftruck with wooden tongues for the fake: 
of vivacity or brilliancy, which is the genius of that ftop ; 
yet I am not fure but that the oGawve alfo had better be 
ftruck with fole-leather, like the firft unifon*. 
A harpfichord thus furnifhed, will produce a body or 
quantity of found, and a purity of tone, that will aftonith. 
at 
* Becaufe, after the ftroke has been given, the wooden tongue repafling the ftring, yet im 
vibration, makes a jingle, which the leather tongues do. not. 
