On RYTHMICJL MEASURES. 95- 



fingle parcels. Any inequality among them is more fenfibly 

 felt, and when improperly introduced, never fails to hurt and 

 difpleafe. Such inequalities may be made, either by increafing 

 or diminifhing the unit, thus making the movement quicker or 

 flower, or by varying the meafure, or the number, according 

 to which the bars are formed. In a long piece of mufic, a con- 

 fiderable variety, both of movement and of meafure, may be 

 introduced. Changes, however, are feldom made, until the 

 movement has gone on for fome time, in one uniform move- 

 ment and meafure, and has been brought to a clofe more or 

 lefs complete. Such changes, when fkilfully managed, enliven 

 the mufic, furprife the hearer, and excite his attention. When, 

 however, they occur very often, and at fmall intervals, they 

 never fail to perplex and confound. The hearer is kept in a 

 ftate of continual fufpenfe and uncertainty, and therefore can- 

 not liften with fatisfadlion. The French mxificians, rather per- 

 haps in confequence of fome fanciful theories, than from the 

 fuggeftions of good tafte, or the experience of agreeable effedl, 

 have fometimes introduced frequent and fudden changes of 

 movement and meafure into their pieces. Their example, how- 

 ever, has not been much followed. How often, or at how 

 fmall intervals, changes of meafure may be introduced into a 

 mufical compofition, is a matter that is difficult to determine. 

 It muil depend a good deal upon the tafte of men, and upon 

 the habits which they may have formed. There is certainly, 

 however, fome limit, within which fuch changes cannot be 

 made, without giving more uneafinefs than fatisfaflion to the 

 hearer. We may bear to be, in fome degree, offended a certain 

 number of times, when fuch offence has the effedl to ftimulate 

 and furprife, and when it is quickly compenfated by fome 

 ftriking beauty ; but if the experiment is too often repeated, 

 the end propofed will be defeated. The piece will become 

 a motely afTemblage o^ diflimilar and imconnefted parts, and 



will 



