122 
acute ones as low, and that this connec- 
tion was afterwards changed to contrary, 
by the less ancient Greeks, and has since 
prevailed universally. Probably this 
Jatter connection took its rise from the 
formation of the voice in singing, which 
‘Aristides Quinctilianus thus describes : 
Sivelas 025 pedy Bapilus, xdrobey “avadeporréve 
78 wvedpcles, i Sofvrng, e@ wemoAKc wpoieeve. 
Gravity takes place, if the breath is car- 
ried upwards from the lower part of the 
throat, but acuteness if it rushes forth 
‘from the bigher part.” 
Dr. Smith says, “The Greek musi- 
cians rightly describe the diiference be- 
‘tween the manner of singing and talking; 
they considered two motions in the voice, 
xivnceis due: the one continued and used in 
‘talking, % pstv ovveytg te xas rAvyinhs the 
‘other discrete and used in singing, 
b de degnualiun ve xcs medwdixn. In the 
continued motion, the voice never rests 
at any certain pitch, but waves up and 
down by insensibie degrees; and in the 
discrete motion it does the contrary, fre- 
quently resting, or staying, at certain 
places; and leaping from one to another 
by sensible intervals.”—Euclid’s Iniro- 
ductio Harmonica, p.2. I need not 
observe, that in the former case, the vi- 
brations of the air aré continually acce- 
lerated and retarded by turns, and by 
very small degrees ; and in the latter by 
large ones. . 
Now, Sir, we come to the subject upon 
which I began. 
Euclid says, An interval is’ ro Weis o- 
HEvov bre oObylay a'vapecsov “oFvinik Bapvrnis, 
What is contained by two sounds differing 
in gravity and acuténess, 
Aristoxenus defines a musical sound 
thus, gang wlacss “emt po'sav rarw 6 oOevlos, 
A sound is the falling of the voice upon 
one tension: and an interval thus, Asecuue 
de ig co bd Mo ploylay apicpevov, a Tiy 
asliy tracy “eyéilav: An interval is that 
which is terminated by two sounds, not 
having the same tension. 
_ I know not any.one word in the Eng- 
lish language, which we could substitute 
for interval, which would philosophically 
explain its nature. I should define an 
interwal, ‘the difference between two 
sounds, as 40 the number of their vibra- 
tions, or pulses, ina given time.” The 
fllowing definition is expressed rather 
burbarously ; An interval is the pitch- 
difference of two sounds, 
~ Chymistry, you well know, my dear 
Sir, .has changed its nomenclature, in 
order thit the name of a substance may 
express from what substances it is de- 
Origin of Printing—and, Roman Stereotypes. [March }, 
F 2 > 
rived,’ or, of what. substances it is:com- 
"posed, 
I will try to apply this, process to some 
of the terms in music. A sharp, the 
character employed to raise any note a 
- seii-tone, I would call an “accelerator,” 
because it increases the vibrations; and 
‘a flat, which is used to depress any note, 
I would call “a retarder,” because it 
renders the vibrations slower; and a 
natural, because it restores a note to 
its original state, “a restorer.” 
All such indefinite expressions as 
adagio, largo, andante, allegro, &c. 
T would entirely expel: and say, ‘so 
many inches.” Because so simple a 
machine as a Bullet, would. give, the 
precise time in which a composer intends 
his, piece should be played or sung. 
And a person who has attended to it for - 
a very short time, will recollect, with 
great accuracy, the. difference between 
eight or nine inches, or any other 
number. wre ae 
If composers disdain the, use of such 
very simple means to cenyey their ideas 
with precision, they are not to be pitied 
for having the time of their compositions, 
and consequently in some measure the 
effect, so frequently mistaken. i 
Had Mr. Handel made use of this not very 
complicated, or expensive, hut very port~ - 
able instrument, there would not be such 
continual disputation as to the time of 
his various movements. But my pen 
moves at a rate,sutficiently fast to ex- 
haust your patience: so I shall subscribe 
myself, ‘Your's, &c. 
' Norwich, ie, 1. SMV ER. 
January, 1810, : 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, ‘ 
your active and intelligent corre- 
spondent, who. signs, Common 
SENss, page 479, for December last, has 
discovered that the “art of printing was 
only a new application of an ancient in- 
vention,” and derives the origin of block- 
printing, that infant effort of the modern 
art, from the impression- of those broad 
sedls on the charters. of the eleventh and 
twelfth centuries, by the simple change 
of “inking the impression on papery. 
instead of wax.” 
The idea is ingenious; but though the 
transition from stamping on paper -in- 
stead of wax, appears to us extremely 
simple, it will not sufficiently account for 
the origin of the invention; with all its, 
simplicity, had it not arisen from some 
fortunate accident, or been, BSCvESTeE 
ea Sain hd aD 
re 
