Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 January 2013
Man is formed to derive pleasure from a variety of different sources. Many of his pleasures are communicated by the channel of the external senses. Each of these has particular classes of objects that are suited to its gratification ; and these, being diffused in great abundance through the works of nature, or framed by the art and ingenuity of men, become to him a source of frequent and diversified enjoyment.
page 60 note * Eight is most easily conceived as two fours; sixteen is always conceived as four fours.
page 60 note † Six we can indifferently conceive as three twos or as two threes; nine we must conceive as three threes; twelve we can either conceive as three fours or four threes; we can also conceive it as two sixes, but with more difficulty as six twos.
page 61 note * More especially if, in former parts of the succession, the same interval has been found frequently divided into two.
page 63 note * The ancients defined certain measures, which they considered as aggregates of five and of seven, as measures of which rythmical successions might be formed. These they supposed to be made up of letter measures, bearing to one another, in the one case, the sesquialter proportion, or that of two to three, and in the other case the epitrite proportion, or that of three to four. Whether they had, or could have, a distinct feeling of these numbers, upon hearing a succession of such measures expressed in syllables, or whether such a succession could be expressed so as to communicate such a feeling, are matters with regard to which I am much inclined to doubt. We may indeed conceive aggregates of five to be formed by counting off twos and threes, or threes and twos alternately; and, in like manner, aggregates of seven, by counting off threes and fours, or fours and threes. This, however, can hardly be done, unless the single times are of such magnitude, as that they, may be considered as units of time, which is not the case with the short syllables of words. Even when the single times are sufficiently large, the counting them off by alternate even and odd numbers, is a difficult, perhaps an unnatural operation. It requires such a constant and even painful effort of the attention, as is inconsistent with that ease and simplicity of conception and operation, which is essential to every thing that is agreeable. If the attention is relaxed, we must either hold entirely by one number, or run into confusion.
page 63 note † I have here used the term accent in its musical acceptation, to denote that imaginary degree of force or emphasis which a found acquires from the circumstance of its being the first of a parcel in a rythmical succession.
page 69 note * Page 32, 33. Edit. Meib.
page 75 note * As, Cornua veletarum—vertimus antennarum.
page 76 note * When I apply the term accent to syllables, I use it in its grammatical acceptation, to denote that superior force of articulation, and that inflection of the voice, with which we always mark, in our pronunciation some particular syllable or syllables of every word.
page 77 note * English trochaic and iambic verses may be set to music in common or in triple time indifferently. Anapæstic verses require, for the most part, to be set in triple time. Shenston's Pastoral Ballad set in common time, would lose much of its beauty and delicacy.
page 78 note * This verse is a combination of five times, more in appearance than in reality; When it is well constructed, it will seldom fail to give the person who pronounces it the disposition and opportunity, by means of rests, of completing six, sometimes perhaps eight times.
page 78 note * When, by means of rests at the close, the time of six feet is completed in pronunciation, this break divides the whole time into two threes.
page 85 note * First movement of the sixth periodical overture, published by R. Bremner.
page 85 note † Symphony to the first recitative in Handel's Messiah.
page 89 note * There is only one ode of Horace in this measure, viz. Book III. Ode 12. The rythm seems to go on to the end, without any sensible break or close.
page 89 note † The tribrachys, or gig measure, may possibly have been suggested immediately from the sound of a horse's feet, when running at full speed.
page 91 note * Trio of first minuet in third quartetto of Haydn, first set. Trio of second minuet in second quartetto of the same author, second set.
page 92 note * Eleventh periodical overture, last movement, at the thirty-first bar.
page 92 note † The same movement at the forty-seventh bar, where the original arrangement of the pairs is restored.
page 92 note † Third quartetto by Haydn, first set, last movement, at the 15th bar of the first part, and the 29th bar of the second part.
page 93 note * First quartetto of the same set, last movement, at the beginning, and first movement, at the 23d bar of the first part, and corresponding passage of the second part.
page 93 note † The first quartetto of Haydn's second set begins with two combinations of three bars, after which the music proceeds in general by pairs. The second part of the last movement of the first of six overtures by the Earl of Kelly, begins with two successive combinations of five bars.