1797°] 
‘To the Editor of the Montbly Magazine. 
SIR, 
IN proportion to the degree of refine- 
ment that any nation arrives at, fo are 
thofe arts and {ciences cultivated or ne- 
gleéted which are preperly termed li- 
beral. Music is furely not an inconfider- 
able one ; and, if allowed to {peak with 
the enthufiafm of a profeffionable man, 
I would fay itis not-only the firft upon 
earth, but heavenly [—To conceal then 
what I conceive to be an effential difco- 
very, would be inconfiftent with the love 
I bear the fcience. 
From thefe confiderations, I hope this 
addrefs will not be deemed prefumptu- 
ous. Nothingin this way, yet produced, 
has met with univerfal adoption by the 
horn performers, although the correétion 
of defcéts in this noble inftrument, has 
employed for ages fome of the firft mu- 
ficians and mathematicians of different na- 
tions. Every other mufical inftrument 
has been foftered, from its firft rude 
ftate, to perfection ; but the orm and 
trumpet Kill remain inthe cradle of child- 
hood. 
The praétice and ftudy ef more than 
forty years have determined and en- 
abled me to lay before you the refult; 
an improvement in which I have ad- 
hered ftriétly to, the three grand prin- 
ciples, Native Tonse—Tunr—and 
PERFORMING CELERITY; for, al- 
though the borz poffefles fome valuable 
founds, yet it is atruth to be deplored, 
that it inherits naturally no more than 
three progreifive diatonic notes in tune, 
and but one chromatic. The plan I now 
prefent, gives you the eight diatonics, 
with all the intermediate chromatics in 
the upper oftave, even to the comma 
diftinétion of the fharp fifth and the flat 
fixth. 
To the fecond o€tave are added the 
the flat third—-the fharp fourth—the 
natural fixth and feventh; fo that now 
we are not confined to the original pro- 
greifive three, but are in the poffeffion of 
eleven progreffive diatonic founds; the 
performer is alfo enabled to play in the 
minor mode as wellas the major, in the 
key of the horn, and in the fifth of that 
-key ; and is likewife in the poffeffion of 
many other vaiuable advantages arifing 
from this fyftem. 
To the lower or bafe oftave, fome lirt- 
tle affiftance is given to the natural and 
fharp fourth, and the natural feventh. 
The INVENTION is around tin tube 
with a conical bell cemented to it, which 
~-being occafionally hifted or flided into the 
Improvement of the French-horne B41 
bell of the horn, more or lefs, flattens in 
general the found above it ; the bell tube, 
at the fame tine, prefents the tone in its 
perfect, full, and natural ftate. Were I 
to pay forty years more attention to the 
fubject, J am confident that I fhould not 
produce a better principle. 
The tin tube muft be juft two inches 
In its diameter, at top and bottom; the 
tube, indeed, varies in its length accord- 
ing to the key the horn is tuned in; 
but the conical bell, which is cemented 
to each tube, muft be always of the fame 
dimenfions, which are as fall :— Che 
bottom of the bell two inches ; the top of 
the bell three inches and feven-eights ; 
and the length fix inches and five-eights: 
the comma (for fo I with to call it) is 
made of common /beet tin, lap foldered. 
Form oF THE Comma. 

Tue LENGTH OF THE TUBES: 
For the B flat horn - 10 inches 
For the Cand Dhorns 8 inches 3-8ts 
For the E flat and E fharp horns 6 inches 
- angpa half 
For the F. horn - 5 inches 
For the G & A horn: 4 inches, a quarter, 
and fixteenth. 
Thefe Commas are fo tuned, that when 
the performer can execute with one, he 
then can with the other four, their appli- 
cation to the horn bell being alike in 
all. 
DIRECTIONS FOR HOLDING. THE 
COMMA. 
Hold the comma by the mouth of the 
bell, the hand forming an arch over it ; 
fo that if any one of the artificial notes 
in the fecond oétave fhould be occa- 
fionally too fharp, the comma hand be- 
ing flatted upon the bell, will make itin 
tune. 
Ref the comma within the bell of the 
horn, for the better convenience of flid- 
ing it in or out. 
The trumpet being upon the fame im- 
perfect fcaie with the borz.its naiiveldefeets 
may be remedied upon the fame princi- 
ple ; if that inftrument were made horn 
fafhion, for the trumpet bell to receive 
the comma, the difference will then be 
only in its fhape, the tone will remain the 
fame. 
Tam, fir, your humble fervant, 
Bath. dug. BENJAMIN MILLGROVE. 
10; 17.97. 
Yy2 7 


