316 On the Music of the Middle Ages. 
innumerable combinations of sounds, of which he has no idea at 
present. 
Of the secular Music of the Middle Ages we have but very few 
examples; and such as we have only shew that it was founded upon 
the principles of the Church Chant; the latter having the ad- 
vantage over it in every respect, just as we find our parish Churches 
and Cathedrals to be more beautiful and magnificent than the 
secular buildings of the same period. 
That Music was introduced very early into the Christian Church 
every well read person is aware. The Hymn sung on the Mount 
of Olives; the testimony of Pliny as to the practices of the primitive 
Christians; and the distinct statement of Eusebius, “that those 
whom St. Mark the Evangelist instructed, were occupied day and 
night in singing Psalms,” leave no doubt that the first period of 
Christian Worship was not destitute of the powerful aid of Mu- 
sical Art. 
Of the sources from which this Music was derived we are almost 
equally certain. 
The early Christians were not the inventors of any new system 
of Music, but they adopted the art in the state in which they found 
it, transferring probably some of the Melodies of the Temple itself 
to their own religious assemblies. Indeed it has been stated by 
more than one ancient author that the Gregorian Tone, peculiar to 
the Psalm, ‘In exitu Israel,” is the same as that chanted by the 
Hebrews when they celebrated their Passover. 
We know but little, however, of the actual state and condition of 
the Christian Music of the first four centuries. No doubt it gradually 
assumed a more important and more regular form in the Services 
of the Church, up to the fifth century, when St. Ambrose estab- 
lished the Chant known as the Ambrosian Chant, in his Cathedral 
Church of Milan. 
Considerable discussion has arisen as to the origin of the Am- 
brosian Chant, M. Fetis contending that it was then newly introduced 
from the East, and was more elaborate and more rythmical than 
that in use in the West; but all are agreed that the main principles 
