MUSIC. 
fcription in this paper, it feems much to refemble the 
lytichord of Plenius, that was exhibited for two or three 
years in the middle ofthe laft century; the tones of which 
were produced-by rofined wheels, which in their revolu¬ 
tion-adled as fo many fiddle-bows; the firings being 
brought into contaft with the wheel by the prefltr e of 
the fingers on the key. One peculiarity in the lyrichord 
was, that the firings were tuned by weights. The bafies 
were very fine, but the treble fcreamed intolerably. Ple¬ 
nius was a German, and the firft who attempted to make 
large piano-fortes in England. 
The inftrument called a claviol by Mr. Hawkins, pro¬ 
duces its effects from bowel-firings, by a rofined horfe- 
liair bow, arid is played with finger-keys, like the piano¬ 
forte. The tones of this inftrument are ftated to pofiels 
“ the fweetnefs of the harmonica, the richnefs of the 
violin, and the grandeur of the organ.” Thefe indeed 
are high pretenfions ; and, if they Ihould be juft, the in¬ 
vention would be a moll valuable difcovery. However, 
we do not find that the inftrument has come into ufe, or 
is much known, even among profefiors. Mr. Hawkins 
afterwards came to London ; and exhibits his invention, 
with l'ome other mechanical contrivances, more curious 
than ufeful, at a mufeum (and oil-lhop) which he has 
opened in Tichfield-ftreet. 
The inftrument contains 68 gut-firings, ftretched in a 
vertical pofition, and arranged in four feries, of 17 firings 
each. The firft feries, correfponding to the double bal's, 
confifts of feventeen large firings, thirteen of which are 
covered with wire ; the longeft firing is thirty-eight 
inches, and the fhorteft twenty-eight inches: the f'e- 
cond feries, producing the tones of the violoncello, from 
twenty-eight to fifteen inches in length : the third, the 
viola, from fifteen inches to feven long, and the fourth, 
the violin, are from feven to three inches long. The 
frame containing the firings is of equal height in all parts, 
though the effective lengths of the firings are only to be 
reckoned from their refpeftive bridges to the keys. Each 
firing is provided with a finger-key, which keys are ar¬ 
ranged in the fame order as in the piano, &c. and each 
firing is adjufted to found the proper note for the key to 
which it belongs; the adjullment is made at the upper 
end of the firing by a fcrew. To keep the inftrument in 
tune through all variations ofthe atmofphere, each firing 
is ftretched by a helical fpring, attached to the lower part 
of the frame at one end, and to the firing at the other; by 
this means the tenfion'of the firing is always equal, not- 
withftanding its variations of length from the ftate of 
moifture in the air, as the force of the fpring will not be 
lenfibly changed by fuch minute alterations of length. 
The next parts to be fpoken of are the rofined Jiorfe-hair 
bous , which are the moll ingenious parts of this inven¬ 
tion ; they are four in number, one to each feries of firings. 
The liorle-hairs are arranged within a circular ring of 
brafs, which ring is luftained by three wheels within it, 
which admit of its rotative motion, and at the lame time 
allow the firings to pafs down through another ring, and to 
be as near to the hairs as pofiible, without touching them : 
for this purpole, each feries of the firings is arranged in a 
circular form, to correfpond with the curvature of the 
bows. The circular bows are put in motion by a pulley 
on the axes of the wheels; and a ft rap or band, palling 
round this, communicates motion from a vertical axis 
which is common to the whole, and is put in motion by a 
wheel, on the axis of a crank, which is turned by a trea¬ 
dle, and provided with a fly-wheel, to regulate the mo¬ 
tion, and continue it while the treadle is alcending. 
The communication between the horizontal axis of the 
crank and fly-wheel, and the vertical axis giving motion 
to the bows, is made by two conical wheels, covered with 
foft leather, touching each other in their circumferences : 
this is an excellent lubftitute for toothed wheels, both 
with refpeft to the freedom and filence of the motion, as 
the toothed wheels, being neceflarily couftrufted of me¬ 
375 
tal, could not be diveiled of an unpleafant found, hardly 
ot be endured in a mufical inftrument. 
The keys move on a fulcrum; and, when p re (led down 
by the fingers, the oppoiite end elevates one arm of a bent 
lever; at the fame time the other arm is drawn back, and 
a wire moves one arm of a fiecond angular lever; the other 
arm ends in a hook, which is engaged with the firing cor¬ 
refponding to the keys. From this arrangement, when 
the key is forced down, the firing is drawn in contact 
with the hairs of the bow, lituated juft above the fecond 
lever; and the friftion caufes the firing to vibrate in 
the lame manner as the violin. It is fcarcely necellary, 
after this, to lay any thing relpecling the aftion of the 
inftrument: the performer keeps the bows in continual 
motion by the treadle, which moves with fuch eafe as to 
be no impediment to the freedom of motion requiiite for 
a performer on a keyed inftrument: an increafe of prefture 
on the keys is faid to cattle that fttlnefs of tone which is 
fo much admired in the violin ; but the delicate loftnefs 
produced by lightly touching the keys is a principal ad¬ 
vantage in this inftrument; and it is a great recommen¬ 
dation, that by its alfiftance thefe excellencies of the violin 
are feeured to every.good performer on keyed inltriiments. 
The velocity ofthe bows is another circuinftance to be 
attended to at the fame time with the p re flu re: when 
moved llowly, the tones will be fort and delicate; but, 
when the velocity is increaled, the tones are full, and 
adapted for grandeur of effeft: the alteration in velocity 
is eafily made. Mr. Hawkins has alfo adapted a balance- 
weight to the treadle, which afts to turn the wheel while 
the treadle is alcending, fo that by this afliltance the wheel 
can be made to revolve exceedingly flow, without danger 
of pitching, or flopping at the higheft or loweft points of 
the cranks. In this manner the velocity of the bows is 
completely manageable by the greater or lefs p re flu re 
upon the treadle, and the performer may eafily make a 
ludden tranlition from quick to flow, by refilling the af- 
cent of the treadle when he vvilhes to retard it, or preffing 
the treadle while it is defending to accelerate the motion 
of the wheel. It is worthy of notice that each bow 
moves with a different velocity, as is beft adapted to pro¬ 
duce the vibration of the firings it is applied to. This is 
effected by the different diameters of the four pulleys on 
the vertical axis, which turns the bows : thefe are in 
fuch proportion, that, when the double-bafs bow revolves 
at the rate of 25 times per minute, the others make 
35, 50, and 75, revolutions, in the fame period. The 
inftrument is provided with pedals, one of which, when 
prefled down, brings a piece of rofin in contact with the 
hairs of each bow, fo as to caufe no interruption for this 
necellary operation. Another pedal elevates the bows all 
together, and caufes them to aft nearer the bridge than 
when it is not in ufe, producing the effe6f well known to 
performers on the violin when they bow near the bridge : 
for this purpofe the frame containing the three wheels of 
the bow terminates in a Item, which Hides in a locket, and 
can be elevated or deprefled by the pedal juft mentioned. 
A third pedal brings a piece of leather lightly in contaft 
with the middle ol each firing, which caufes it to vibrate 
in two portions, and found the oftave in a beautiful tone, 
fimilar to the mufical glafies. 
The above inftrument appears to have been an improve¬ 
ment on Clagget’s aienton, which the inventor did not 
live to bring to perfeftion. Some very refpeftabie pro- 
feflors have expreffed a very high opinion of the merit of 
this laft infirument. It was ftated to have had, in power, 
dignity, and (oiemnity of tone, a great refembiance to 
the organ ; and to have been free, by its coaftruction, 
from the only charafteriltic imperfeftion of that delight¬ 
ful and fublime inftrument. The inventor gave it the 
name which has been mentioned, from its bein fa «is» tvlovov, 
“ always in good tune.” The celeftina mtcnanifm of 
the infirument, afted by p refill re on a fyftem of metallic 
bars, (or pitch-forks.) It is evident, that the mafs of 
1 metal 
