THE SECOND WINTER MEETING. XXXV11. 



placed a true coin of the realm." That coin was generally half 

 a guinea ; and the fact explained why the seals of these old 

 deeds were seldom to be found. The seal and the gold had 

 gone. 



BY THE EEV. F. W. GALPIN : 

 A model of a humstrum and an ancient rebec. 



Halliwell's Dictionary of archaic and provincial words thus 

 explains the instrument : 



" Humstrum, a musical instrument out of tune or rudely 

 constructed ; a Jew's harp." 



In 1763 Bonnell Thornton published as a burlesque : 



"An ode on S. Cecilia's Day adapted to the antient British 

 musick, viz. : The salt box, the Jew's harp, the marrow bones 

 and cleaver, the humstrum, or hurdy-gurdy, &c." 



In his overture, or preface, he thus writes: "I am sorry I 

 can give no certain account of these incomparable instruments, 

 the salt box and the humstrum, or hurdy-gurdy. But it is 

 reasonable to conclude that the first was usually performed on 

 at festivals and the other at funerals, or on serious occasions." 



In the ode the instrument is referred to in these words : 



EECITATIVB. 



Cease lighter numbers ; hither bring 



The undulating string 

 Stretch'd out, and to the tumid bladder 

 In amity harmonious bound. 

 Then deeper swell the notes and sadder, 

 And let the hoarse Base slowly solemn sound. 



AIE. 



With dead dull doleful heavy hums, 



With mournful moans and grievous groans, 



The sober hurdy-gurdy * thrums. 



It is evident from this that Thornton knew little or cared to 

 know little about the humstrum, for he confuses it with the 



* This instrument, by the learned, is sometimes called a humstrum. 



