174 LECTURES TO SCIENCE TEACHERS. 



hand and a musical series on the other ; I had to reconcile 

 and adjust their differences, and mark their coincidences. 

 These coincidences are represented "by the digitals on my 

 fingerboard. I began with the simplest elements of the 

 scale j and had to feel for and find my way at every step. 

 This instrument is limited in its range, embracing only eight 

 major keys with relative minors. It has only one keyboard 

 of three levels, the addition of another level would com- 

 plete the cycle of thirteen keys; it may, however, be 

 extended to any range, C being always the central key 

 from Ci2 grave to Cj acute are given in the plan lodged in 

 the Patent Office. 



The question is often asked, How can such an instrument 

 be played upon ] No musical instrument can be of any real 

 practical value unless it can be easily played. I shall 

 not offer my own opinion upon this point, but that of a 

 gentleman who has studied the subject thoroughly and 

 whose opinion may be relied upon. After examining the 

 fingerboard carefully he remarked, first, that any person 

 understanding the relation of keys in music will comprehend 

 the principle of this keyboard in a few minutes ; secondly, 

 that any person who can play upon an ordinary harmonium 

 will play just as well upon this fingerboard by two or three 

 weeks' practice. 



These two statements have been already amply verified, 

 for every one who has tried to play upon this instrument 

 half-a-dozen times has done so readily. The third statement 

 made by my friend was that any person learning to play will 

 save from two to three years usually spent in practising keys, 

 because the scale in every key is played upon the natural 

 fingerboard by the same progression of fingering. 



Some time must elapse before this last can be verified 

 but there can be little question as to its correctness. 



