7© 



On the Musical Modes 



The femitones accordingly are placed as in our diatonick fcale : the in- 

 tervals between the fourth and fifth, and between the firft and fecond, are 

 major tones; but that between the fifth and fixth, which is -minor in our 

 fcale, appears to be major in theirs j and the two fcales are made to coincide 

 by taking a stuti from pa and adding it to dha, or, in the language of In- 

 dian artifts, by . raifing Servaretna to the clafs of Santa and her fifters •; 

 for every sruti they consider as a little nymph, and the nymphs of Pancha- 

 ma, or the fifth note, are M'Mirii, Chapald, Lola-, and Servaretna, while Santa 

 and her two fifters regularly belong to Dbahata : fuch at leaf! is the fyf. 

 tern of Co'h a la, one of the ancient bards, who has left a treatife onmu- 

 fick. 



So'ma feems to admit, that a quarter or third of a tone cannot be fepa- 

 rately and diftinctly heard from the Vina ; but he takes for .granted, that 

 its effect is very perceptible in their arrangement of modes ; and tYiz'irJixth, 

 I imagine, is aimoft univerfally diminillied by one sruti ; for he only men- 

 tions two modes, in which all the feven notes are unaltered. I tried in vain- 

 to difcoverany difference in , practice between the Indian fcale, and that of 

 our own j but, knowing my ear to be very infufEciently exercifed, I re- 

 quefted a German profeffor of mufick to accompany with his violin a 

 Hindu lutanift, who fung by note fome popular airs on the loves of Crish- 

 NA and Ra'dha": he allured me, that the fcales were the fame; and Mr. 

 ■Shore afterwards informed' me, that, when the voice . of a native finger 

 was in tune with his harpfichord, he found the Hindu feries of feven notes 

 to afcend, like ours, by a fharp third. 



For the conflruction and character of the Vina, I mint refer you to the 

 very accurate and valuable paper of Mr. Fowke in the firft volume of your 





