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TILL any of your obliging musical

taken out of Calthrop Church, Lincoln shire, the whole town, being bitten by a mad dog; and all that took this medi cine did well, while all the rest died mad, In a P. S. it is added, many years ex perience have proved that this is an ef fectual cure.. JAMES HALLY

St. Martin's-lane.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Idition to what has already been ad

F the following observations, in ad

vanced, in answer to the Query respecting the Moon, which appeared in one of the late numbers of your respectable Me gazine, be worthy of a place therein, I

W correspondents inform me, through will esteem myself honoured by the ile

the medium of your excellent miscellany, who was the original inventor of that beautiful instrument the violin; which has for many years past attained its per

fection.

As there are so many contradictory reports respecting its inventor and in provements, I dare say many of your readers, who, like myself, are ignorant in this respect, will be equally thankful with me, in ascertaining its true origin. Greenwich. D. D. BACH.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR,

A

Sa friend in Scotland, whose only son was bitten lately by a mad dog, is extremely anxious to procure the best recipes for preventing the hydrophobia, and the dog-days are approaching, in which some of your readers may be in. terested in the matter, permit me to send you the following recipe, which I found hung in the parish church of Ley. ton, Essex, and which, with some others, I have transcribed and sent to my friend.

For the bite of a mad dog.-Take the leaves of rue, picked from the stalks and bruised, six ounces; garlic, picked from the stalks and bruised; Venice treacle, or mithridate; and the scrapings of pewter; of each four ounces. Boil all these over a slow fire, in two quarts of strong ale, till one pint is consumed; then keep it in bottles, close stopped, and give of it nine spoonfuls to a man or woman, warni, seven mornings together, fasting.

This, if given within nine days after the biting of the dog, will prevent the hydrophobia. Apply some of the ingredients, from which the liquor was strained, to the bitten place.

This receipt was, some years ago,

sertion.

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The inference drawn from the moon, that, her seas are thus restrained from always presenting the same face to us; rising to too great a height over the land: pleasing illustration of the provident on the side next the primary; affords a

care of the great creator; but I have often thought that such illustrations would make a more permanent impression upon the mind, if accompanied with an investi: gation of the causes or instruments whereby such effects are produced,

Your correspondents take it for granted that there is water in the moon; but he sides the inequalities discovered in the darker parts of her disc, there are much stronger reasons for believing there is no

water,

The light of these obscure re-. gions, supposed to be water, varies ac-. cording to the angle of illumination, or the altitude of the sun above their hori. zon; and when the moon is near her conjunction, they are not much less lu minous than the other parts of her disc, which could never happen if they were covered with water; for when a fluid surface is not ruffled by the wind, the light of the sun, or rather the image of the sun, could not be seen unless, when the eye of the observer was in the lineof reflected rays.

La Grange has shown, that while the lunar surface ought to be elevated at the. equator; yet the elevation is four times as great in the direction of the diameter of the equator, that is directed to the earth; in the same way as the wa ers of the earth are always of a spheroidal form, the axis of the spheroid being directed towards the moon; and, as Laplace ob serves, * 66 we may easily conceive that

* System of the World by Mr. Pond, p. 816, vol. 2.

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The physical cause of the moon at all times presenting the same face to the earth, may be inferred from what fol. lows. "If the primitive motion of the rotation of this satellite had been suffi. ciently rapid to have overcome this tendency, the period of its rotation would not have been perfectly equal to that of its revolution, and the difference would have discovered to us successively every point in its surface. But at their origin, the angular motions of rotation and revo lution having differed but little, the force by which the greater axis of the moon tended to deviate from the radius vector, was not sufficient to overcome the tendency of this same axis towards the radius due to the terrestrial gravity, which by this means has rendered their motions rigorously equal."

The local advantages which will arise to beings who may inhabit other worlds, from the operation of physical causes, are not likely to be known to us in this state of being; and, however laudable their investigation may be, I cannot but regret, that modern, or rather popular, science seems more devoted to them, than in improving or communicating a knowledge of the causes which produce the phenomena of nature. It is piously fashionable to refer every phenomenon to the goodness of God, as if religion taught us to be ashamed of looking through the medium of that causation which connects us and all nature with its benevolent father. The word and work of the Almighty must go hand in hand, nor is it possible, by degrading the study of his works, that dignity can be added to the sentiments of rational beings. Hackney, May 3, 1811.

JonN JACKSON,

Philosophical Lecturer.

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cording to the French method, for the purpose of taking the honey without destroying the labourers, one of the inhabitants resented the offence, by deeply infixing his sting just below my left ear. The pain was unusually severe, and in a few moments I felt my swallow greatly affected. Much alarmed, I rastened into the house to procure some sweet oil, with which to rub the part affected. In a little while I felt entire relief from the spasm which had alarmed me, and, in a quarter of an hour, or twenty mi nutes, continuing the friction all this time, was perfectly relieved from all pain. J. BICHENO,

Newbury, May 15, 1811.

For the Monthly Magazine. THEORY of HARMONICS. Quid velit et possit Rerum Concordia Discors.

THE

HOR.

HE analogy between musical sounds and colours, or, in other words, between audible and visual harmony, first discovered by NEWTON, appears to be perfect.

The natural audible chord is the third and fifth, completed by the octave, or reduplication of the first more acute, or grave.

The natural visual chord is the same completed by its octave, or the same colour, more intense or weak.

The tour intermediate sounds and colours, form the intermediate degrees of the musical and optical scale. These are the primary distinct sounds and colours, of which all the rest are com pounded. A perfect white in colour, a That they perfect consonance in music. are concords, seems to result from this, that they have the utmost distinctness and simplicity in the perception of them: an obvious, striking, interesting difference. They are consequently fit to lead and support the whole system, their recognition being so easy and agreeable. Every primary sound contains its trarmony. It has been proved by experiment, that every primary ray is also resolvable into its harmonies, and contains the two others in subordinate propor tion. Hence their relation to each other, and to the discords. The discords are those sounds and colours which partake of the two concords which are contiguous on each side: as

E the 2d to D and F.
G (the 4th of D) to F and A.
Orange to red and yellow,
Green to yellow and blue.
8 Y

The

The 4th of the key seems to have ana-, had supposed: but, as this important logous properties in visual and audible fact had escaped the researches of Sir harmony by its distinctness; it has much John Hawkins, Dr. Burney, and Dr. more of the concord than of the discord, Busby; and as the instrument appears to in its effect. Thus green softens, re- have been unknown to Rousseau, I can lieves, and unites, all the other colours. only infer that its progress, prior to the These tones of sound, or shades of year 1760, must have been, as happens colour, give a perception which is less to many other valuable inventions, very clear, simple, distinct, and easy; less slow, for many years from the time of its pure and homogeneous; and therefore first discovery. It also seems, that, less agreeable, if taken, not in series, but Zoumpe, as I conjectured, did introduce in single combination. it to England about the time which I supposed; though I was mistaken in supposing him to have been the original inventor. It is possible, however, that he might change it from the harpsichord form, to the more convenient and handsome rectangular form which it now generally has.

But then the concords of sound and colour, by their permanent diversity, would be harsh; or, to use a very significant French term, tranchant. The gradations would be too violent to please for a continuance.

The intermediate tones and semitones, tints and shades of tone, serve to unite and to soften the gradation and transition in both instances; though relative discords, individually taken, they contribute in their general effect to the full and absolute harmony.

I am inclined to think that the theory of the minor keys, and all the secondary results, both in painting and music, in the various combinations of sound and colour, so far as they are regular and pleasing, may be deduced from this one principle, the apt assemblage and co-ordination of diversity and similarity, whence results that various uniformity which in all things delights. Contrast and approximation, light and shade, relief and repose, the forte and the piano, seem the elements of this stupendous and beautiful universe; whose harmony is perfected not less by its discordant, than its consonant, parts. Yet to this effect it is supposed, that the concords predominate. These are the grounds, the rest is incidental and auxiliary to their effect.

Masters of painting and music, in theory and in practice, may confirm and extend this idea: but I have a strong persuasion that it is a great and leading, or beautiful and sublime, truth.

For the Monthly Magazine. On the INVENTION of the PIANO-FORTE. I am very much obliged to your correspondent, Mr. Lydiatt, for his intelligence respecting the invention of the PIANO-FORTE. It appears (if there be no mistake) to be near half a century earlier in its origin than I

* PRICE in his admirable Essay on The

PICTURESQUE.

Having been indebted to this delightful instrument for so much encrease to the happiness of my life, and consolation, of its cares, as I should in vain attempt to express, whatever light can be thrown on its history, cannot but greatly interest me, and I should think almost every other lover of music. I rejoice, consequently, that so much appears to be already ascertained; and that there is so good a prospect of farther discovery and communication. It is as different from the harpsichord, as a female style of vocal performance is from a male: and this difference should be always observed in the composition or choice of music for either instrument and the manner of playing, otherwise their re spective advantages become relative de fects.

On the Comet of 1807.

Its very eccentric orbit being now so well ascertained, (its nodes lying so near to its perihelion,) and its perihelion distance appearing to have been calcu lated by the French astronomers with great exactness, to which its long visibility and the extent of circle it described must have much contributed, it is now not unimportant, at least it may be cu rious, to consider, what would have been its appearance to us if the Earth had been in Libra or Scorpio, about the time of its passing from its perihelion, in its ascending node. The Earth would then have been on the same side of the sun with the comet; and its nearness would have been as the difference of their re spective distances from the sun nearly: consequently the Comet would have been about thirty-five millions of miles from

the

the earth's orbit; instead of which it was actually the whole radius of the earth's orbit, added to the comet's distance from the sun, or about 163 millions of miles distant from us when nearest. The difference is nearly 4 to 1.

But its head subtended an angle, ineluding the diffused coma, of above 4'. And, apparent diameters being inversely at the distances, its head would have appeared equal to more than 16', or above the mean diameter of the moon, if the earth had been on the side of her orbit nearest to the comet.

Under the actual circumstances it was brighter than Jupiter, and perhaps equal to Arcturus. And, light being as the squares of the distances, it might be expected, had it been on the side nearest to us, that it would very far have exceeded the brightness of Sirius, or any other heavenly body, except the sun. Its train too, would then probably have appeared more than 200 in length, and of proportionate breadth; so that it would probably have been as conspicuous and beautiful an appearance, as that of the comet of 1743 is related to have been.

ON ALFIERI.

I have obtained the translation of the Memoirs of ALFIERI, written by himself. I should be greatly obliged to any of your correspondents, who would inform me whether the original Italian be procurable here in England. It is that which I wanted, and have in vain sought.

An Italian nobleman in those days, a true, ardent, and constant, lover of freedom; a youth surrounded with all the temptations of rank, fortune, and dissi. pation, and personal advantages, educating himself; a Piedmontese writing the pure and illustrious Tuscan language, in such perfection, notwithstanding all its difficulties; a man who travelled so much, and was agitated by such strong passions, successfully commencing Greek at the age of fifty; adding to Italy one of the last, and highest, and ouly wanting of her poetic palms, by his admirable and unrivalled Tragedies: master of dramatic diction, sentiment, character, incident, and at the same time of Grecian simplicity and severity in the fable and conduct of his drama; nobly and awefully pathetic, free, animated, sublime; rivalling on the same subjects, and in some important respects excelling Es

chylus, Euripides, and Sophocles; the energetic inspirer of the most amiable and exalted passions and affections, as exemplified by Timoleon, and first and second Brutus; such, and more than such, is Alfieri! One must be dead to all excellence of imagination, intellect, and thought, to all power of numbers, sentiment, and the purest and noblest energies of the drama, not to feel, after reading his immortal works, an enthusi astic love and veneration for his name.

Plan of extending the number of DISTINCT SOUNDS of the OCTAVE of the PIANO-FORTE, without PEDALS.

My plan for improving the extent of the musical scale of the piano-forte, and other keyed instruments, and bringing it nearer to wind instruments, as the flute, &c. and to those which are played without keys, though having strings or wires, by the bow or immediate appli cation of the finger to the string, as the violin, harp, &c. and to diminish greatly the temperament, is very simple.

It consists in this known principle: that the diameter of a circle is to its cir. cumference as 1 to 3 nearly, and, consequently, the chord of the semicircle to the circumference as 2:3 or 1:14.

I would therefore propose that the clavier, or finger-board, be made concave to the performer, and the keys disposed on a semicircle; or rather an elliptic arch, very nearly approaching to it. In consequence of this, eighteen sounds, distinct from each other, would be found on each octave, instead of twelve, without increasing the distance between the extreme keys; and, if the space on each side for the stops and air-chest were made equal, and the back of the frame and of the sounding-board rounded off, that semicircle would consequently be in the centre of an elegantly crescent-formed instrument. The keys would strike off at equal distances as radii from the centre: those which are now most remote, would be as near (and nearer) as those in the centre to the hand of the performer, on right and left; and the centre would still be at a sufficiently convenient distance, not requiring to recede at the centre more than eighteen inches, or about two feet, where there are the additional keys.

The appearance in playing would, I think, be even more easy and graceful than at present. My reason for having the additional short keys somewhat longer,

and

and a little below the level of the present short keys, is to prevent collision or auk wardness to the fingers when so many more short keys are added. I do not think any material inconvenience or daficulty could arise from this construction, as to the disposition of the wires. And if not, I think it would, as far as it goes, be preferable to pedals for the reasons assigned by Mr. Farey and Mr. Merrick.

Performed as I have been accustomed to hear it, any performer, or hearer, would be content indeed with this most delightful instrument as it is. But that is no reason against any possible advan tage to so exquisite and noble an instru ment. And no one would be bound to use the additional keys employed for this purpose. That the same notes on the scale should be brought so much nearer to be in unison with other instruments, and with the voice, where unison is in tended, does not seem to be an inconsis derable object either for correctness or gratification. Ninety musical sounds instead of sixty-one the cominon compass, and so on in proportion where the extent is greater, seem to me worth gaining.

If, however, I have erred I am very willing to be corrected.

I agree in the hint that semitone is not proper to express a short hey, though used for the purpose of sounding the principal semitones. But it is a common and convenient synecdoche, and deceives no one; as we say on seeing a mile-stone there is another mile: using the certain sign for the thing itself signified. Any otherwise interval, is not proper; for the keys, or touches, G, A, B, D, G, are not intervals, but signs of termini, or in strumental limits, which command in. tervals in music; and between them are intervals definite and indefinite, reducible and irreducible, sensible and insensible, to the human ear; but as marking the intervals between these determinate musical sounds, they have ac quired a name from that which they thus express. And thus "Note" as the sign or symbol of a certain musical sound, is used without any danger of misleading, for-the sound itself: and we say those are sweet notes-that note is too sharp, that too flat.

I never imagined that without pedals 1 could practically introduce such an encreased extent of the scale of the septant, or septaye, as should make the Organ, Harpsichord, or Piano, complete in this respect, and should save all tem

perament. But I thought, and think, it very desirable to introduce so many as should include all the most requisite; especially if this can be effected without dividing the short keys, which are suff ciently narrow, and without encreasing the distance from the performer on the extreme keys. The difficuity arising from the number of keys would be much less to be regarded in the present so highly improved system of fingering. A very young lady has done me the honour of saying, that she thought this difficulty would be soon overcome.

I have never had an opportunity of seeing any of the instruments mentioned, so as to examine the mechanisin: though I have heard one of them, the Temple Organ, even when a child, with exceeding delight, when I went with my father, and it was played by STANLEY.

I am always obliged when referred to so admirable a writer as ROUSSEAU, The passage had not occurred to my recollection. With Dorn's and Mr. Maxwell's Tracts I am wholly unacquainted. I own I should much like the introduction of colour'd keys; both for distinc tion and convenience, if the short keys were much increased, and as illustrating to the eye the beautiful discovery of NEWTON, of the harmony and coincidente between the musical and audible scale; between prismatic colours and musical sounds. Dr. FRANKLIN had the rims of his glasses coloured on this principle, in his Harmonica.

The Rev. Mr. Charles Smith knows my great respect and esteem for him, He will allow me to mention another as at least a convenient cause of the bass being the upper part in the ancient scale, contrary to what it is considered by us. It is known that their principal instrument, the lyre, had its grave strings to the right, and its acute to the left.

A person of the name of Riley, who travelled for seventeen years with a double octave of musical bells, on which he had taught himself to play, disposed the bass to his right and the treble to his left; probably because the bass required, when he began the practice, a greater force of percussion than he cou'd other wise well manage; of which the right hand, as being most exercised, is most capable. He died about March, 1806, on the road in Gloucestershire, about 56 vears old. He was the son of the parish-clerk of St. Mary, Cambridge. He was not unworthy of being thus far remembered, He played with two sticks covered with cloth, not unlike

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