450 OF THE MUSICAL SCALES' 



and seasons allotted by the Hindu ritual for the perform- 

 ance of the services, ro which they wer6 respectively 

 appropriated. This appears probable : but whatever 

 might have been the original cause of this apparent 

 singularity, it hiis become sc coir.pletely engrafted on 

 the ideas of music amongst the natives of India ^ that 

 they cannot at this day divest their minds of the pre- 

 judice. The muslemans have universally adopted it ; 

 and a performer, who should sing a Eaga out of its ap- 

 propriated season, or an hour sooner or later than the 

 time appointed, would be considered as an ignorant 

 pretender to the character of a musician. This restraint 

 upon their music, which Europfans would think insup- 

 portable, the hhl'um considers as absolutel) necessary 

 to give a true relish to the melody. The origin of this 

 custom seems lost in antiquity. No Hindit, with whom 

 I have conversed, has been able to account for it. Wet 

 mny, therefore, suppose it probable, that it originated^ 

 as I have observed before, in the religious restraints to 

 which music appears to have been subjected, wkcr» 

 first reduced to fixed principles as a science. 



Music must have been cultivated in very early ages 

 by the Hindus ; as the abridged names of the seven 

 notes, viz. sa^ ri, ga, ma, fa, dha^ ni, are said to occur 

 in the Rama l^eda; and in their present order. Tlieir 

 names at length are as follow : 



Shadja pronounced Sarja or Kharja, 



Rishahha pronounced Uikhahh. 



Gandhara, 



Madhyama, 



Panchama, 



Dharvata. 



Ntshada pronoimced Nikhad, 



