ered an invention of the Germans, but respecting the time of this inven tion, opinions differ.... It is certain that the use of organs was not common before the fourteenth century." (Pop. Cycl.) That the name is Greek is a strong confirmation of its Greek origin. "The only incident of religious history," runs a paragraph in Chambers' Book of Days (i. 495), connected with the 10th of April that is noticed in a French work resembling the present, is the introduction by King Pepin, of France, of an organ into the Church of St. Corneille, at Compiègne, in the year 787.

1.

FROM harmony, from heav'nly harmony
This universal frame began.

When Nature underneath a heap

Of jarring atoms lay,

And cou'd not heave her head,

The tuneful voice was heard from high:
Arise, ye more than dead.

Then cold and hot and moist and dry

In order to their stations leap,

And Musick's pow'r obey.

From harmony, from heav'nly harmony
This universal frame began ;

From harmony to harmony

Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in Man.

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10

15

1. This was an opinion said to have been held by Pythagoras: "We find running through the entire Pythagorean system the idea that order or harmony of relation is the regulating principle of the whole universe." (Smith's larger Biog. Myth. Dict.) It was not only "the regulating," but in the first instance the creative principle; it brought into union opposing elements, "jarring atoms." The music of the spheres was a Pythagorean notion. See Milton's Hymn Nat. 125.

What does heavenly mean here ?]

2. Frame: This was a favorite word with poets about the close of the seventeenth century. See "vocal frame," in Alexander's Feast: "a shining frame" in Addison's

"The spacious firmament on high," etc.

Began from, etc.: See Alexander's Feast, 25:

"The song began from Jove."

5. Heave her head: See Milton's L'Allegro, 145. Miltonic words and phrases are very common in Dryden's writings. Pope, too, has this phrase, Dunciad, ii. 256 :

"Rous'd by the light, old Dulness heav'd the head."

6. [What is the force of The here ?]

Voice words nttered by the voice.

8. See Paradise Lost, ii. 898.

14. The notes: i. e. of the first seven notes of the octave.

15. The diapason: "Diapason denotes a chord which includes all

II.

What passion cannot Musick raise and quell?
When Jubal struck the corded shell,
His list'ning brethren stood around,
And, wond'ring, on their faces fell
To worship that celestial sound ;

Less than a god they thought there cou'd not dwell
Within the hollow of that shell,

That spoke so sweetly, and so well.
What passion cannot Music raise and quell ?

III.

The trumpet's loud clangor

Excites us to arms

With shrill notes of anger

And mortal alarms.

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25

tones; it is the same with what we call an eighth or an octave; because there are but seven tones or notes, and then the eighth is the same again with the first." See Milton's At a Solemn Music, where he would that we on earth should answer the melodies of heaven,

66

"As once we did, till disproportion'd sin

Jarr'd against Nature's chime, and with harsh din
Broke the fair music that all creatures made

To their great lord, whose love their motion swayed
In perfect diapason," etc.

Closing: See Hymn Nat. 100. So Herbert :

"Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses;
A box where sweets compacted lie,

My music shows you have your closes,
And all must die."

16. Collins, in the beginning of his Ode describes how, when Music was yet young,

"The Passions oft, to hear her shell,

Throng'd around her magic cell,

Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting," etc.

till at last each one determined to try his own skill. Comp. Midsummer Night's Dream, II. i. 150, the well-known line,

"Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast."

Quell is strictly but the older form of kill.

17. Jubal: See Genesis, iv. 21.

Shell: This somewhat affected name for a lyre found great favor with our poets from Dryden till the close of the last century. It is of course a Classicism.

The chorded shell: See Homer's (so assigned) Hymn to Mercury, 25-65.

28. [What does mortal mean here ?] See Trench's Select Glossary, s.v. Comp.:

"Come, thou mortal wretch."

(Antony and Cleopatra, V. 1. 63.)

The double double double beat

Of the thundering drum

Cries, heark the foes come!

Charge, charge, 'tis too late to retreat!

IV.

The soft complaining flute

In dying notes discovers

The woes of hopeless lovers,

Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute.

V.

Sharp violins proclaim

Their jealous pangs and desperation,

Fury, frantick indignation,

Depth of pains and height of passion,

For the fair, disdainful dame.

VI.

But oh what art can teach,

What human voice can reach

The sacred organ's praise ?

33. Chaucer says of his Squire:

"Syngynge he was or flowlynge all the day."

The "floyte" is mentioned in the Ilouse of Fame.

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35

40

34. [What does dying mean?] Comp. Twelfth Night, I. i. 4. Discovers = simply uncovers. See Merchant of Venice, II. vii. 1: "Go draw aside the curtain, and discover

The several caskets to this noble prince."

Comp. disrobe, dispeople, dismantle, etc. [In what sense do we use the word discover?]

35. How does the sense of hopeless here differ from that in Shakspere's Richard II. I. iii. 152, "the hopeless word of never to return '"'?

·

36. The lute was once the most popular instrument in Europe, although now rarely to be seen except represented in old pictures.... It has been superseded by the guitar," etc.

Pope follows Dryden in his

"In a sadly pleasing strain

Let the warbling lute complain."

37. Violins: Violin (= violino) is a dim. of viol, as violoncello of violin. The violin completely replaced the viol in the reign of Charles II. See Chappell's Pop. Mus. ii. 467-9.

41. Dame: Comp. Milton's Paradise Lost, ix. 612:

"Sovran of creatures, universal dame."

So often in Shakspere.

44. Organs: Bee Milton's Paradise Lost, i. 708, vii. 506; Shakspere's

Notes inspiring holy love,

Notes that wing their heav'nly ways
To mend the choires above.

VII.

Orpheus cou'd lead the savage race,
And trees unrooted left their place,

Sequacious of the lyre;

But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder high'r :
When to her organ vocal breath was giv'n;
An angel heard, and straight appear'd
Mistaking earth for heav'n.

GRAND CHORUS.

As from the pow'r of sacred lays
The spheres began to move,
And sung the great Creator's praise

To all the bless'd above:

So, when the last and dreadful hour
This crumbling pageant shall devour,
The trumpet shall be heard on high,
The dead shall live, the living die,
And Musick shail untune the sky.

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50

55

60

Tempest, III. 98, "the thunder-that deep and dreadful organ-pipe. The older English poets generally speak of organs, or a pair (= set) of organs: that is, the word orga denotes but a single pipe. Thus Sandys: "Praise with timbrels, organs, flutes; Praise with violins and lutes."

33. 47. The audacity of this line may be regarded as a sign of the times, which were not reverent nor humble-minded. See Dryden's Ode to the Memory of Mrs. Anne Killegrew.

48. Orpheus: See Shakspere's Two Gentlemen of Verona, III. ii. 78-81; Henry VIII. III. i. 3., etc.

50. Sequacious: Comp. Sid. Carm. xvi. 3: "Quæ [cheylys] saxa. sequacia flectens." Comp. Ovid's "saxa sequentia," Met. xi. 2. 52. [What is meant by vocal breath ?]

53. Comp. Alex. Feast, 170.

Straight: See L'Allegro, 69.

55. See note on 1. 1.

60. Comp. Shakspere's Tempest, IV. 1, 15-16.

63. Untune destroy the harmony, . e. the vivifying principle, of