the observations I have offered on this subject in another work'.

First, I observe that the Jews appear to have been always fond of music. Whatever polite arts they neglected, this they cultivated to the utmost of their power, even from the lowest to the highest ranks. Not only David the shepherd, but David the king, was a musician. Solomon, whether or not a performer himself, provided singing men and singing women, with abundance of instruments". The prophets generally, if not always, used them, and music was taught in their schools, the only seminaries of learning among the Hebrews 3.

They likewise highly honoured those who were famous in this art, ranking them with their most illustrious characters. Thus the son of Sirach, 'Let us praise famous men, and our fathers that

begat us. Leaders of the people by their coun'sels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for 'the people; wise and eloquent in their instruc'tions. Such as found out musical tunes and re'cited verses in writing. All these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of 'their times'.'

Neither was this attention to music merely in obedience to the divine appointment, since, when they degenerated to idolatry, their music was perverted too and on every festival, music and

Historical Essay on Church Music prefixed to Pfalmodia Evan. vol. II. p. 19. and seq. 2 Eccles. ii. 8. 31 Sam. x. 2-12. xix. 20-24. 1 Kings, xx. 35. 2 Kings, iii. 15. 1 Chron. xxv. 1-3. Psal. xlix. 4. 4 Eccles. xliv. i—7.

dancing seem constantly to form principal parts of their employment. Nor is their attachment to music to be wondered at. Their climate was warm, and Dr. BURNEY repeatedly tells us, that the inhabitants of hot countries are most fond of music'.

2. As to performers, it must be confessed that the human voice is the same in all ages; and if, in their present state, some of the Jewish nation have not only gained admiration at the synagogue, but applause at our public theatres2; it seems no absurd supposition, that their ancestors, in a state of opulence and prosperity, educated in the study of the science, and patronised by the most liberal and accomplished princes, might be capable, if not of such volubility and so many artificial graces, yet of melodies more chaste, and tones more charming to the unvitiated ear; and it is granted by the best judges, that no kind of music has so great an effect on the human passions."

The great number of the children of the Levites3 would always provide a powerful chorus of treble voices, and some select ones, with those of the singing women, would furnish a variety for the solo parts. The Levites also, being themselves educated to music in a very early period, and many of them devoted wholly to that employ

* German Tour, vol. I. page 3; Hist. vol. IV. 565. 2 Sig. Leoni, &c.

3 The ingenious Mr. BEDFORD supposes (Temple music, p. 76-79) that this expression is not to be understood literally, but of the singing boys their disciples, which seems probable from every family containing the same number. 1 Chron. xxv. 8-31.

ment, with a proper provision for their support; would have every desirable opportunity for improvement.

3. The musical instruments of the Hebrews form the next, and a very curious subject of enquiry. The Hebrew musical instruments, as indeed all others, are of three kinds; nechiloth, or wind-instruments, neginoth, or stringed instruments, and the timbrel, tabret, cymbal, &c. which were pulsative, or of the drum kind: Of the former, the principal is the organ which was invented by Jubal, several centuries before the flood. This, in its first state, was probably similar to the syrinx, or pipes of Pan, composed of seve. ral reeds of unequal lengths, and, consequently, different sounds. An instrument of this kind has been found in several uncivilized countries; and though it may bear no comparison with modern instruments, it is hard to say to what perfection it might be carried by artists, who could devote five hundred years, or more, to its study and improvement. It was evidently a pastoral instrument, and if we may credit the additional psalm in the Septuagint, David used to make it when a shepherd. Whether the Hebrews ever connected a bag with these pipes is uncertain; but Kircher describes what he calls an ancient organ, consisting of a row of pipes in a chest, blown by a pipe instead of bellows, and probably stopped with the fingers, instead of keys.

The other wind-instruments were chiefly borns and trumpets; and these, no doubt, originally,

F

were the horns of animal, and chiefly used as military music.

2

Jubal, the antediluvian, is also celebrated as the inventor of the harp or Hebrew lyre, which was the most ancient of stringed instruments, and a great favorite of the Jewish nation. They call it the pleasant harp', and made it the constant companion of their pleasures as well as devotion. It is supposed that this instrument was improved to a considerable degree of perfection by the Egyptians, at a period, perhaps, considerably anterior to this3; and there seems no good reason to pronounce the Hebrew harp inferior to the Egyptian, except in size. David and the Levites often dancing as they played, shews that it must have been with them a portable instrument.

JOSEPHUS ascribes the psaltery to Jubal, as well as the harp; but the scriptures never mention it till the time of David; and it might possibly be one of the instruments he invented. The rabbins 'describe this instrument in a form not unlike that of a lantern, which may be true of a more modern instrument under the same name. The Hebrew name nebel, which signifies a bottle, jug, or flaggon, seems to determine its shape to that kind of figure, as both Jewish and Christian writers have observed. JOSEPHUS says it had twelve sounds, and was played upon by the fingers; herein being

1 Psal. lxxxi. 2.

2 Isa. xxiv. 8. See Burney's Hist. of Music, vol. I. p. 220*. 4 Ainsworth, in Psal. xxxiii. 2, and at the end of his annotations. See also Calmet's Di&t.

distinguished from the harp, which was played with a plectrum', i. e. a piece of bone, wire, or quill; as it was so late as the time of our great king Alfred. Another and principal difference, however, probably was, that the former, being a weaker instrument, was used to accompany the female voices; and the latter as more powerful, the men, who sung an octave lower".

This instrument was also famous among the heathen, who esteemed it a Phoenician invention; and Ovid describes it as turned about with the hands in playing3. From these circumstances it should seem of the same species with the modern lute or mandoline, having perhaps a short neck, and the back rounded. The modern Jews use the same word for a violin, and our translators have in some places rendered it a viol. David mentions an instrument of ten strings, which the Talmud interprets of a species of harp, and others of the psaltery; but it should seem to have been distinguishable from both, though perhaps only in some trifling circumstance'.

Among the instruments used to accompany the sacred dances, were the shalishim, rendered sim

1 Antiq. lib. vii. cap. 12.

2 So is commonly, and I think justly understood, the regulation of the royal psalmist, 1 Chron. xv. 20, 21. Certain leaders were appointed to play with psaltery on alamoth, byby, for the virgins, i. e. to accompany their voices; and others with harps, on the sheminoth, for the octave voices, i. e. the men, who sung an octave lower. See Parkhurst's Hebrew Lexicon, in 2. 4 Isa. v. 12. xiv. 11. Amos v. 23. vi. 5,

See Psal. xeii. 3.