RHYTHM. 



canon, or rule, was given of the rhythm at the beginning 

 of a lyric poeci. This canou confided of nothing but the 

 numbers I and 2, that is, the alpha and beta of the Greek, 

 alphabet, difpofed according to the order of the breves and 

 longs which compofed each verfe, and divided according to 

 the number of its feet. The alpha, or unit, marked a breve, 

 becaufe it contained only one portion of time ; and the beta, 

 or binary, marked a long, being equal to two portions. 

 Some of thefe poetical, or rhythmical canons, are ftill to be 

 found in the Manual of Hephreftion. 



Rhythm in Latin was called numerus ; and this term, in 

 procefs of time, was extended to the melody itfelf, fubjetted 

 to certain numbers or rhythms, as appears from this line of 

 Virgil : * 



" Numeros memini, fi verba tenerem :" 

 "If I knew the words, I could remember the tune well 

 enough." 



The Romans had figns for rhythm, as well as the Greeks ; 

 and thefe figns were not only called Humerus, but era, that 

 is, number, or the mark for time. Numera nota, fays Nonius 

 Marcellus. In this fenfe we find the word ufed in a verfe of 

 Lucilius : 

 " Hie eft ratio ? perverfa sera ? fumma fubdufta improbe ?'» 



" Do you call that fettling accounts ? fuch a confufion of 

 figures ? and the fum falfely cad. up ?" 



Though the word <tra was at firft only applied by mu- 

 ficians to the time, or meafure of the melody, they after- 

 wards made the fame ufe of it as of Humerus, to exprcis the 

 tune or melody itfelf; and it has been thought that the 

 word air, or, as the Italians call it, aria, which includes a 

 certain piece of mufic of a peculiar rhythm, or cadence, is 

 derived from era. 



Such was the manner in which the ancients marked the 

 meafure in their written mufic ; but to make it Hill more 

 fenfible in the execution, they beat time in feveral different 

 ways. The moll common was by the motion of the foot, 

 which was lifted up and beat down alternately, according 

 to what we call common, or triple time. To regulate the 

 time was generally the office of the mufic maftcr or director, 

 called fiij-ox"fOi and xogu£ais$ 9 oryphttus, becaufe he was 

 placed in the middle of the orcheftra, among the muficians, 

 and in an exalted and confpicuous fituation, in order to be 

 feen and heard the more eafily by the whole band. 



The directors of the time were likewife called in Greek 

 TiroioxTi/^roi and zv'ihAoZii, from the noite of their feet. In 

 Latin they were called pedarii, podarii, and pedicularii, for 

 the fame reafon. Their feet were generally furnifiied with 

 wooden or iron fandals, in order to mark the time in a more 

 diihnct manner ; thefe implements the Greeks called x.^z-tfa, 

 x;«t>«, KjsnrtTt* ; and the Latins pedicula, fcalella, or Jca- 

 hilla, becaufe they reienibled little pattens, or clogs. 



But it was not only with the feet that the ancients beat 

 the time, but with all the fingers of the right hand upon the 

 hollow part of the left ; and he who marked the time or 

 rhythm in this manner, was called manu-dutlor. For this 

 purpofe they fometimes uled oyfter-fhells, and the (hells of 

 other fid), as well as the bones of animals, in beating time, 

 as we do of cailanets, tabors, &c. Both Hefychius, and the 

 icholiaft of Arillophanes, furnifh paffages to confirm this 

 aifertion. What a noify and barbarous mufic ! All rhythm, 

 and no found. The drums and fyftrums of the Idaei Dactyli 

 could not have been more favage. 



Many ancient hiilruments were monotonous, and of little 

 ttfe, but to mark the meafure ; fuch were the cymbalum and 



fyflrum ; and it was for this reafon, perhaps, that the cym- 

 bal was called era, by Petronius. But it would afford us 

 no very favourable idea of the abilities of modern muficians, 

 who (hould require fo much parade and noiie in keeping to- 

 gether. The more time is beat, fays M. Rouffeau, the lefs 

 it is kept j and, in general, bad mufic, and bad muficians, 

 Hand molt in need of fuch noify afliftance. 



However, if any thing like the power which ancient 

 mufic is faid to have had over the paffions can be credited, it 

 muft have derived this power chiefly from the energy and 

 accentuation of the rhythm. Ariftides Quintilianus gives a 

 long lift of diflerent metres, with their feveral properties of 

 calming or agitating the mind, according to the nature of 

 the fyllables, or feet of the verfes, as well as the fentiments 

 which they were intended to exprefs ; and as it will afford 

 the reader an opportunity of feeing how much ftrefs wn. 

 laid on this part of mufic, and how fancilul and ideal many 

 of the diflinctions feem to have been, we fhall give the whole 

 paffage in Englifh. 



" Meafure, which begins by a down part of the metrical 

 divifion, is calm and gentle ; whereas that which begins by 

 an up part, expreffes trouble and agitation. Full time, that 

 is, always accompanied with melody, is noble in its effect ; 

 and that arifing from cataleftic verfes, deficient in a fyllable 

 or note, if it be fupplied by a reft or panfe, has more fim- 

 plicity. Time of equal proportions, is graceful ; and that 

 of odd numbers, or fefquialterate proportion, is more proper 

 to excite commotion. Double time is a kind of mean 

 betwixt the graceful and the turbulent. Among the move- 

 ments of two even notes, if they are fhort, their effect is 

 lively, impetuous, and proper fur military dances, called 

 Pyrrhics, in which the dancers are armed ; and time, of 

 which the movement is regulated by poetic feet compofed of 

 long fyllables, is more grave, ferious, and fit for hymns 

 which are fung in honour of the gods, at feftivals, and in 

 faerifices ; the meafure compofed of a mixture of long and 

 fhort notes, participates of the qualities of both thefe lait 

 mentioned. 



" Among the duplicate proportions, the Iambic and Tro- 

 chaic have the moil vivacity and fire, and are peculiarly 

 proper for dancing. Thofe called o^Smm and o-^avToi, of 

 which the arlis anfwers to two long fyllables, are full of dig- 

 nity. Compound meafures arc more pathetic than fimple ; 

 and fuch as are confined to one genus, move the paffions 

 much lefs than thofe which pafs from one genus to another." 



After giving thefe charafteriftics of time, Ariftides pro- 

 ceeds to prove their reality and foundation in nature, by 

 drawing a parallel between fome particular fpecies of rhythm, 

 and the gait and actions of man. He pretends, for in- 

 ftance, " that the motion which anfwers to the Spondaic 

 mealure, is a fign of moderation and fortitude ; that Tro- 

 chaics, or Pagans, indicate a greater degree of fire and vi- 

 vacity ; that the Pyrrhic has iomething lew and ignoble in 

 it ; that an irregular velocity implies diiiblutenefs and dif- 

 order ; and finally, that a movement refulting from all 

 thefe, is wild and extravagant." 



With refpect to the excellence and effects of ancient 

 mufic, it is very difficult to fteer between the extremes of 

 credulity and fcepticifm. Such enthufiaiU as Ariftides 

 Quintilianus, by aliening too much, have thrown a ridicule 

 upon the fubject, and inclined us, perhaps, to believe too 

 little. The fimplicity of ancient melody, and its flavi(h 

 dependence upon poetry, may probably have given birth to 

 fome of thefe fancies. 



In addition to the account already given of the poetic feet 

 under their refpe&ive articles, we fhall here introduce a 



ftiort 



