On Musical Temperament* 



19S 



TABLE Xn. 



Nothing in the above tables will need explanation, except 

 the anomalous sharp beats of the 3ds, in the last column. 

 These are derived from the perfect ratio 6 : 7, because these 

 3ds are, in reality, much nearer to the ratio of 6 : 7 than to 

 that of 5:6; and hence could their beats be counted, they 

 would be those of the table, and not those which would be 

 derived from considering these 3ds as having flat tempera- 

 ments of the ratio 5 : 6. But although the beats are slower, 

 *he nearer they approach the ratio 6 : 7, this ought not to be 

 regarded as any sufficient reason for admitting so large tem- 

 peraments into the scale, were it not absolutely necessary, in 

 order to accommodate those 3ds which are of far more fre 



