i 3 o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



ingenious, and the ornamented parts are executed in the 

 very befl manner. 



The bottom and fides of the frame feem to be fineered, and 

 inlaid, probably with ivory, tortoife-fhell, and mother-of- 

 pearl, the ordinary produce of the neighbouring feas and 

 deferts. It would be even now impoilible, either to con- 

 ftruct or to finifh a harp of any form with more tafte and 

 elegance. Befides the proportions of its outward form, we 

 muff obferve likewife how near it approached to a perfect 

 inftrument, for it wanted only two firings of having two 

 complete octaves ; that thefe were purpofely omitted, not 

 from defect of tafte or fcience, mull appear beyond contra- 

 diction, when we confider the harp that follows., 



I had no fooner finifhed the harp which I liad taken in" 

 hand, than I went to my affiftant, to fee what progrefs he had 

 made in the drawing in which he was engaged. I found,, 

 to. my very great furprife, that this harp differed effentially, 

 in form and diftribution of its parts, from the one I had 

 drawn, without having loft any of its elegance ; on the con- 

 trary, that. it was finilhed with full more attention than 

 the other. It feemed to be fineered with the fame materials,, 

 ivory and tortoife-lheil, but the firings were differently dif- 

 pofed, the ends of the three longeft, where they joined to 

 the founding-board below, were defaced by a hole dug in 

 the wall. Several of the firings in different parts had been 

 fcraped as with a knife, for the reft, it was very perfect. It 

 had eighteen firings. A man, who feemed to be flill older 

 than the former, but in habit perfectly the fame, bare-footed,, 

 clofe fhaved, and of the fame complexion with him, flood 



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