On Musical Temperament. 185 
ratio of the aggregate dissonance of the systems under which 
they stand. The last has decidedly the advantage over the 
first, both in regard to the aggregate dissonance, and the equal- 
ity of its distribution among the different classes of concords, 
{thas nearly an equal advantage over the second in regard to 
the first of these considerations; although, in regard to the 
equality of distribution, the latter has slightly the advantage. 
Ithas, in a small degree, the advantage over the third, in re- 
gard to the aggregate dissonance; while, as it respects the 
equality of its distribution, it has the decided preference. It is 
tue that the temperaments of the concords of the same name, 
in the new scale, are not, as in the others, absolutely equal; 
but no one of them is so large as to give any offence “to the 
nicest ear. The largest in the whole scale exceeds the uniform 
‘emperament of Dr. Smith’s Vths, by only ,'; of a comma. 
Scholium 1. 
The above system may be put in practice on the organ, by 
making the successive Vths, CG, GD, DE, &c. beat flat at the 
tate contained in Table VIL, desceniiing an octave, where 
necessary, and doubling the number of beats belonging to any 
degree in the table, when the Vth to be tuned has its base in 
the octave above the treble C. The tenor C must first be 
made to vibrate 240 in a second, the methods of doing which 
are detailed at length in various authors. Whenever a IIId 
Tesults from the Vths tuned, its beats ought to be compared 
with those required in the table, and the correctness of the 
Vihs thus proved. This system is as easy, in practice, as any 
€r; for no one can be tuned correctly except by counting 
beats, and rendering them conformable to what that sys- 
we pacaites The intervals of the first octave tuned ought 
Wh adjusted with the utmost accuracy, by a table of beats. 
®n this is done, the labour of making perfect the other 
Fav of the same stop, and the unisons, octaves, Vihs, &e. 
mie other Stops, is the same in every system. This last, 
the ou. 8° Much the most laborious part of the tuning of 
5 ban, that if'even much more labour were required than 
Vou. I..No. 2, 24 : 
