MUSIC. 
the key-note leads, and its eighth is the 
final ; and so invariable is the succession of 
intervals we naturally expect to find in the 
major key, that every deviation therefrom 
distracts our attention, and sets the ear in 
search of that conclusion at which it never 
arrives. To prove tin#, let the lowest C, in 
the second example, be done away, and D 
be substituted above the upper C, as in Ex- 
ample 3 : play all the notes natural, and the 
succession will not prove either pleasing or 
conclusive ; because the order of the inter- 
vals is perverted. For, instead of the two 
first intervals being whole tones, the second 
(between E and F) is but a semi-tone ; and 
in lieu of a whole tone between B, the sixth, 
and C, the seventh of the scale, there is but 
a semi tone ; and instead of a semi-tone be- 
tween the seventh, C, and the eighth, D, 
there is a whole tone. Now, to remedy 
this, the tjurd must be made to approach the 
fourth, and the seventh to approach the 
eighth ; this is done by making them, i. e. 
F and C, both sharp; so that the dis- 
tances between them and their next supe- 
rior notes, .should be reduced half a tone 
each ; which halves of tones are thus added 
to the notes respectively, below F and C ; 
and the whole octave is duly regulated ; the 
proper intervals being established : this is 
called “ giving a sharp third and seventh 
whereby a major key is indicated. The 
minor key has two variable notes; namely, 
its sixth and its seventh. In ascending, they 
are invariably played sharp, the same as in 
the major key (or rather mode) ; but in de- 
scending, they are played Hat. Thus, in 
Example 4th, we take the key of C minor, 
which requires a flat third, a flat sixth, and 
a flat seventh. To affect this change, which 
gives a peculiar plaintive expression to the 
music, we are obliged to adjoin three flats 
( ^) ; namely, an E flat, to make the thirdso ; 
an A flat, to depress the sixth ; and a B flat 
to reduce the seventh to a full semitone be- 
low the eighth. See Example 4. The practi- 
cal ear at once distinguishes the minor from 
the major mode : they may always be ascer- 
tained by counting the semi-tones included 
in the third : if the mode be major, thei e 
will be found five semi-tones ; but if it be 
minor, only four. See Example 6th, whA-e 
there are five; conseqiiently the mode is 
major: in Example 6th, which has three 
flats i)refixed, there are only four ; there- 
fore the mode is minor. The following ta- 
ble of sharps and flats is of the utmost im- 
portance to be thoroughly understood. 
TABLE OF MAJOR KEYS. 
C has neither sharp nor flat prefixed. 
D has F and C, sharp. 
E natural, has F, C, G, and D, all sharp. 
E flat, has B, E, and A, all flat. 
F natural, has B flat. 
F sharp, has F, C, G, D, A, and E, all sharp. 
C natural, has F sharp. 
A flat, has B, E, A, and D, all flat. 
A natural, has F, C, and G, all sharp. 
B flat, has B and E, flat. 
B natural, has F, C, G, D and A, all sharp. 
C sharp, has every note sharp. 
TABLE OF MINOR KEYS. 
C has B, E, and A, all flat. 
D has B flat. 
E natural, has G sharp. 
F natural, has .A, E, A, and D, all flat. 
G natural, has B and E, flat. 
A natural, has neither sharp nor flat. 
B flat, has B, E, A, D, and G, flat. 
B natural, has F and C, sharp. 
Example 1.6, shows the flats or sharp.s 
necessary for bringing the notes into their 
proper intervals, as has already been shown, 
according to what note may be selected for 
the key. Thus we see in the first instance 
two shaips, F and C, with the note D, 
whence we know the key, or mode, to be 
major : after the first double bar, we see 
two fiats, B and E, whence we know the 
key to be E flat major. The order in which 
the flats succeed, in augmentation, is this : 
B, on the middle line of the stave, is always 
the first, because F is the first of the flat 
keys, and requires that B should be flat, to 
bring the notes to their proper intervals ; 
for the next flat count a fourth upwards, and 
you have E flat, which, added to B flat, 
gives the letter for the key ; again, count 
another fifth upwards, and you have A flat, 
making three flats with E flat for the key. 
The figures under the stave, at Example 
16, show the order in which they thus fol- 
low and accumulate. The sharps proceed 
exactly the reverse, for they count down- 
wards ; thus F, being the first sharp, gives 
G for the key ; for each succeeding sharp, 
counted by fourths down the scale, gives 
the note immediately above it for its key ; 
therefore, counting the fourth downwards, 
we have C for the second sharp, and D for 
the key of two sharps: then, another fourth 
downwards, we find G, which, being the 
third sharp, gives A for its key ; and, de- 
scending still another fourth, we have D 
