248 Scientific Intelligence. [May, 



performer himself on several instruments, and to have enjoyed local advantages of 

 observation from his appointment at the native court of the Nawab of Banda : 

 neither has his little volume disappointed us, being a familiar and pleasing account 

 of his subject, intended for the general reader, and rendered more inviting by fre- 

 quent allusion to the music of the west both ancient and modern. An author in 

 the present day labours under evident disadvantages, in attempting to describe 

 what the music of the Hindus was in the nourishing period of their literature and 

 religion, when poets and priests were also musicians, modulating and singing their 

 own compositions. To have pursued the subject as an antiquary, would have 

 required extensive knowledge of Sanscrit, and sufficient familiarity with the varied 

 metre of its heroic, and erotic poetry, to do without aid from native professors ; 

 for the present cultivators of the science are for the chief part of the most ignorant 

 and abandoned classes ; so that the very art is held to be disreputable among the 

 more respectable ranks, just as among us the noble drama is forsworn by many, 

 from the abuses which have crept into our theatres. Still in these degenerate days 

 there are exceptions, and the sacred Vin may occasionally be heard pouring forth 

 a strain of rhapsody that carries the imagination back to the fabulous age of Rishte 

 and Gandharbas. 



Our author treats successively of the gamut, of time, of oriental melody, rags, and 

 raginees, (giving a long catalogue of compoundrags, instruments, vocal compositions, 

 and of the peculiarities of manners and customs exemplified in the songs of Hindus- 

 tan. Then follows a brief account of the most celebrated musicians, a copious 

 glossary of musical terms, and copperplate tables of the varieties of time or metre 

 with their native characters and values. 



" The musicians of Hindustan never appear to have had any determined pitch by 

 which their instruments were regulated, each person tuning his own to a certain 

 height, adapted by guess, to the power of the instrument and quality of the strings, 

 the capacity of the voice intended to be accompanied, and other adventitious cir- 

 cumstances. From this it may be observed that it is immaterial which note is 

 designated by which letter." Sir William Jones makes the Kharaj, or key-note, 

 on the Vin, to correspond with A, but the author thinks it would be more systema- 

 tic to tune it to ut or C, the key-note of the natural scale of Europe. This depends 

 upon whether it was the intention to speak of the diatonic intervals, or of the ab- 

 solute pitch of the instrument. " The notes of an octave are divided into 22 minor 

 subdivisions instead of twelve semitones, as is done with us : these are called 

 sruti, and each of them has a distinct name assigned as follow : 



Soor. Abbreviated for solfamg. Srutis comprised. 



C. Kharaj,.. . . Sa.. Butra, Cumodutee, Mundrica, Chhundavutee. 



D. Rikhab,.... Ri Duyavatee, Ructica, Runjunee. 



E. Gandhar, . . Ga Sivee, Crodhee. 



F. Maddham,.. Ma Bujra, Prusarunee, Preetee, Marjunee. 



G. Pancham,.. Pa Kshutee, Ricta, Sidpunee, Ulapunee. 



A. Dhyvat,.. .. Dha Mundutee, Rohinee, Rummya. 



B. Nikhad,.... Ni Oogra, Joobhanka. 



The intervals between the first and second, fourth and fifth, and fifth and sixth 

 notes are divided into four parts ; those between the second and third, and sixth 

 and seventh, each into three parts ; and those between the third and fourth, and 

 seventh and eighth, which with us are reckoned semitones, each into two parts." 



