mufic, by which we mean the generation and propagation of founds, is diftin&t from the mathematical part, or the application of numbers, to exprefs the proportion of intervals, and both are unneceffary to the art of compofition and perfor mance.—A man may be an excellent compofer and performer, and yet totally ignorant of the pulfes of the air, or in what proportion they move: he is not hindered from hearing the effect of mufical intervals, becaufe he is ignorant of their ratios; For all a rhetorician's rules Teach nothing but to name his tools.' We cannot agree with the author, when he fays, that harmony is rather the parent than the offspring of melody. All compofers know, that it is the tune which is first fuggefted, and they add the bafs afterwards. Nay, there are many tunes that never had a bass, until feveral years after their invention; which could not have been the cafe, had they depended on harmony for their exiftence. In the treatife itfelf, Mr. Keeble has given a very just account of the ancient fyftem, as delivered in the authors collected by Meibomius, with the ratios of intervals, discovered by different mathematicians; but though we do not find any thing new in his application of them, nor what can be of the leaft service to a modern, which was promised in the Introduction, we recommend this book to thofe who wish to have fome knowlege of what the Greek writers have faid on the subject̃. We must premife only, that the paffages quoted from them, may frequently be underflood in many different ways, and fometimes are capable of any meaning an interpreter may chufe to put on them, which is nearly the fame as having no meaning at all. We fhall felect the conclufion of the First Part as a fpecimen, because it is a fhort analyfis of the whole, by the author himself. I have now gone through the feven parts into which the ancients divided the Harmonica. I have given each part a mufical construction, by which their mutual relation and agreement have been explained, and reconciled to the laws of harmony, beginning with the first idea or definition of a mufical found, and proceeding to the knowlege of intervals, or the distance to be obferved between one found and another in the formation of genders, fyftems, tones, or modes; from which we have been able to form and regulate the feveral fcales, and difcover the relation which every found in a fcale has to its principal or fundamental found; likewife how any given fcale, taken as a principal one, is connected with others, by which, under 1 under certain limitations with refpect to the diefes or pofition of the hemitones, the confonant and diffonant mutations are regulated; the number also of fharp and flat diefes neceffary to perfect every fcale, has been collected and difpofed in a par ticular order, proper for the difcovery of the genders, as well as the fpifs and all other intervals, which can be wanted in the moft elaborate compofitions. I was induced to, and encouraged in, this extenfive and arduous task, by fome difcoveries which appeared to be of the greatest importance towards the undertaking and explaining of a theory, which had for many ages been only a subject of dif pute; neither party being able to determine any thing conclufive in fupport of their different opinions, either for, or againft, the harmonic principles of the Grecian doctrine. Nor could I have flattered myself with better fuccefs, had not the inverfion of the first diagram offered fomething the moft interefting and agreeable to my wifhes. To this fucceeded the order of placing the feven fpecies of diapafon in each diagram, which encou raged me yet more to proceed; but when the tetrachords, in their various pofitions, could not be formed without the fharp and flat diefes, and the conjunction and disjunction could not be explained without the application of the harmonic prin ciples, I remained no longer in doubt, but was fully convinced that without a perfect knowlege of harmony, it must have been impoffible to have formed a theory fo expreffive and curious as the Grecian in all its parts; nor can it be understood, unless explained by the fame laws by which it was originally formed.' · That Mr. Keeble may give fome fatisfaction to those who object to all theories not demonftrated by numbers and fupported by the ratio,' he has determined to try how far the power of numbers will carry him in a theory of harmonics, agreeably to the Pythagorean doctrine, which will be the fub. ject of the Second Part of this Work.' Tales of the Cafle: or, Stories of Inftruction and Delight. Being 5 IF madame de Genlis is not always fufficiently cautious; if the accidental occurrence of an improper action, though fanctified by cuftom, deftroys that difguft which it ought to excite, and we perceive the fault without the antidote, we fhould acknowlege, that the very feldom offends the nicest morality; and her works commonly abound with the purest lef fons. The refined fenfibility to error, which her general inftructions must neceffarily produce, will make her pupils critics on herself, and raife them into judges, even while they H 2 that her ftories are adapted with judgment, and wound up with exquifite art; with art the more excellent, becaufe unperceived. She is mistress of the utmoft receffes of the human heart, and reaches it by winding paffages, to fome imperceptible, and by others with difficulty explored. While The inftructs her children in the most refined morality, and awakens in them the most delicate fenfibility, both to what is proper and beautiful, fhe amends the judgment and fharpens the perception. The acquifitions feem to be their own; and the young pupils feize with avidity, feemingly as the fruits of their own labour, truths to which the mother has led them, and which he has cleared from the furrounding obftructions. If this recommendation may feem too warm, the best apology is, that it is written from the heart, though with the fullest approbation from the judgment. When we are much pleased, we may readily be induced to exaggerate; but thofe who feel the bias will be most careful to guard against its effects. The work is intended for children of ten or twelve years of age, according to their improvements or capacities. Perhaps, in this climate, we may extend the period farther; but it will be an amufing inftructive companion for perfons in very different circumftances: few have received an education fo exact but fome noxious weeds will have appeared, which a culture of this kind is well calculated to deftroy. It is a juft remark of the author, (we tranflate from her preface, which Mr. Holcroft has not preferved, because it is not generally interefting,) that, before a child can receive new or refined ideas, he must be taught numerous common-place ones, which every perfon can teach, and no one should write. These commonplaces are more valuable than the moft ingenious thoughts: they are generally known, only becaufe they are just and ftriking; as good verfes pafs into proverbs, and moral fentiments, remarkable for their juftness, are retained, repeated, and reach even to the common people, who render them facred by adopting them.' This work contains no fentiments of this kind they are rather new and refined, not fubtile fpeculations of little utility, but reflections which regulate the heart, correct the tafte, and tend to direct the conduct. These are exemplified by fuitable hiftories, properly adapted to the age of the hearers, or to the errors, which are the objects of the governess. The plan of the work is fimple and unadorned. An officer, ordered to join his regiment, during a war, leaves an amiable wife and three children. The mother retires from Paris to the Holcroft's Tales of the Castle. 101 the chateau, and, with the fon's tutor, fuperintends the education of the boy and two girls. The winter evenings are enlivened by ftories, fometimes felected from history, but more frequently invented for a particular purpofe, to illuftrate or enforce the subjects of their converfations. The marquis returns, and brings the family to Paris, where the inftructions and examples relate rather to the formation of a just taste, by proper obfervations on works of art. It is not eafy to give a specimen of the hiftories, for those which are conducted with the greatest address, are too extenfive for our limits. We fhall therefore infert a fhort converfation, that the reader may judge of the manner of our author. • Madame de Clémire remained two days longer on her vifit to M. de la Paliniére, and then returned to Champeery; the abbé not having been fatisfied with Cæfar, in the morning, would not permit him to be prefent at the evening's amufement. Cæfar, being greatly vexed at this punishment, became a little fullen, and went to bed without making an apology to the abbé; he wished him a good night! 'He had been in bed about half an hour, when madame de Clémire entered his chamber. Are you asleep my son, said she, in a low voice? Not yet, mamma, answered Cæfar, in a forrówful tone. I fhould be furprised if you were, reptied madame de Clémire; for if it be true that you have a good heart, of which I cannot doubt, it is impoffible you should pass a peaceful night. What! my fon; have you laid your head upon your pillow with fullennefs and rancour in your bofom, against a man you ought to love? Have you permitted him to leave your chamber, without an endeavour to be reconciled to him, and left him thus for twelve hours? Oh Cæfar!-Liften, my child, to an anecdote I read this morning. 'The duke of Burgundy, father to the late king, was one day angry with one of his valets de chambre; but as foon as he was in bed, he faid to the fame man who lay in his room, "Pray forgive what I faid to you this evening, that I may go to fleep." Judge, my fon, if he had been capable of going to bed without being reconciled to his governor, and yet this young prince was then but seven years old, you are almost ten. I affure you, mamma, I could not go to fleep thus; permit me to rife and ask M. Frémont's pardon. 6 Inftantly! come, my fon. So faying, madame de Clémire gave a robe de chambre to Cæfar, which he haftily flipt on, and, conducted by his mother, went to M. Frémont's apartment; he knocked gently at the door, and M. Frémont, who had already put on his nightcap, feemed much furprised at the fight of Cæfar; the latter advanced, and with his eyes fwimming in tears, made the most humble and affectionate excufes. When he had finished speak ing, the abbé, inftead of answering him, turned coolly towards H 3 Holcroft's Tales of the Castle. 102 madame de Clêmire, and faid, "You are very good, madame, and fince it is your defire, I will endeavour to forgive what is past." Cæfar feemed aftonished, that the abbé had not ad dreffed himself to him; the abbe added, as to you, fir, I have no answer to make it is to your mamma alone I am indebted for this vifit and this apology. I affure you, dear M. Frémont, mamma did not bid me get up and come here. But, fir, had you been at present in my chamber, if madame, your mother, had not made you fenfible of the cruelty of your behaviour to me? (Cæfar here caft his eyes upon the ground, and began to weep.) Be certain, fir, continued the abbé, if, of your own proper motion, without being either counfelled or excited, you had come to me, be certain, I say, I fhould have received you with friendship; though you would ftill have been guilty of a very great error, that of permitting me to leave your room, without teftifying regret for your fault; I therefore repeat, fir, out of refpect to your excellent mamma, I fhall willingly pardon you; that is to fay, I fhall not inflict any punishment on you for the fullen nefs you have difcovered. Well, fir, faid Cæfar, then I will inflict one on myself; I give you my word of honour to deprive myfelf, during a fort night, of attending our evening ftories, which is the greatest facrifice I can make; but, dear fir, do not treat me with this fevere coolness, and 1 fhall then fupport my punishment with Courage, As he fpoke thus, the abbé, with an affectionate air, held out his arms, into which Cæfar leapt, weeping for joy that he had obtained his pardon; and more efpecially, that he had performed an action which had reconciled him to himself, You fee, my fon, faid madame de Clémire, how much it cofts us when we defer to make reparation for our errors; this is to aggravate them, and nothing but extraordinary actions, and painful facrifices, can then obtain forgivenefs. Had you, in going to reft, made a proper apology to M. Frémont, you would have been pardoned, and not for a fortnight deprived of your greatèft pleafure.' The faults of madame de Genlis, in this work, are, we think, fewer than those which occur in Adelaide and Theodore, reviewed in our fifty-fixth volume, page 300; and these are in general foftened or omitted by the tranflator, who has performed his talk with great judgment and propriety. We hall felect his own account of his attempts, of which, on examining the original, we entirely approve. He who fpeaks of himself, muft either refolve to fay little, or be in great danger of becoming either vain or impertinent. Of the prefent verfion, therefore, let it only be obferved, it was never intended to be any thing like literal; that the phrases are fometimes contracted and fometimes lengthened; that the liberty of adding |