to its own peculiar and unalterable column; it is obvious that the D wolf, for 

 instance, cannot ever be taken from its own column, to be carried, either to the 

 key of E flat, iu the G column ; or to the key of A flat, in the C column ; or to 

 the key of D flat, in the A column. Such temperaments are, therefore, unsatis- 

 factory in theory. They are also defective in practice ; for, they render some 

 keys too bad to modulate into them without offending the ear extremely. 



In my new method, there are none of those defects. Every key in my 

 temperament is made pleasing, and fit for transposition and modulation, and 

 has also a peculiar character which belongs to it. Some keys are fitted for 

 chearful music ; some, for grave. Some, for martial ; some, for pastoral. Some, 

 for soft or melodious pieces ; and some, for those which are solemn, plaintive, or 

 majestic. How is it possible that the same key, or twelve keys of exactly the 

 same character, should be capable of giving to compositions of directly opposite 

 characters, that effect which is the best suited to each composition respectively ? 



In order to introduce the greatest degree of variety which is consistent with 

 proper harmony and with proper melody, it is evident that some one key, at 

 least, should be made as perfect as possible. If so, the key of C, which so 

 frequently recurs, ought to be that key. It is besides the only key which has 

 neither flats nor sharps in the common construction of keyed instruments. 



I, therefore, make the key of C, with a perfect third, C, E; with a perfect 

 fourth, C, F; and with a perfect quint, C, G. In tuning, I proceed thus. 



First. I begin by pitching the first bass C, to my tuning-fork, tuning-glass, 

 or monochord. I consider the first bass C as the key-note. I then make the next 

 C above, which is called the middle C, a perfect octave from the first bass C. 



Or, I pitch the middle C, to my tuning-fork, tuning-glass, or monochord ; 

 and I then pitch the. first bass C, as a perfect octave next below. It is of no 

 consequence which of those two equivalent methods be used to obtain the pitch 

 of those two Cs. But, in order to tune the other keys of the instrument, I 

 prefer starting from the first bass C, as the key-note ; instead of starting from the 

 middle C ; because the beatings ave more perceptible to the ear, in the former 



case, than they would be in the latter. The reader will do well to turn to 



the TUNING TABLE, in page 15, and to follow it in reading the pages 12* 

 13, and 14. 



Secondly. From the first bass C, I make C, G, a perfect quint. 



Tliirdly. From the first bass C, I make C, E, a perfect third. And I then 

 tune the two octave Es> next above. 



Fourthly. From E, I make E, B, a perfect quint ; and I prove B, from 

 G, as a perfect third. 



Fifthly. From the middle C, I tune C, F, upwards, a perfect fourth ; or 

 (what is equivalent) I tune F, C, downwards, a perfect quint. I then tune the 

 F next above, a perfect octave. 



Sixthly. The pitch of F being determined, I tune F, B flat, upwards, a 

 perfect fourth ; or (what is equivalent) B flat, F, downwards, a perfect quint. 



( 12 ) 



