captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.

They were

there in bondage 70 years, at the end of which they returned again to the land of Canaan, which was then called Palestine.

From these considerations, it is reasonable to conclude that the Jews obtained much of their knowledge of music from the Egyptians, having resided so many years among them, though doubtless Abram had a knowledge of not only the antediluvian, but Babylonian and Chaldæan music before he visited Egypt. How far he adopted the views of the Egyptians in respect to music, before he imparted his knowledge to the Jewish nation, cannot now be ascertained; but it is reasonable to suppose that the knowledge which he obtained among that people, and that which those, who were in bondage, obtained, much influenced the Hebrews in respect to music and the various arts and sciences.

Concerning Musical Notation among the Egyptians and Hebrews we have no certain knowledge. Judging from their acquaintance with instrumental music, however, we think it highly probable that symbolic representations of musical sounds were known among them. The Greeks possess the most ancient system of musical notation which has reached our times, and our information even with regard to that is very limited and uncertain. The relics which have been preserved, show that that people must have been acquainted with a higher degree of cultivation in respect to practical and theoretical music than is generally supposed. Marpurg, Bottrigari, Galilei and others speak of hymns to Nemesis, Apollo and Calliope, and attempt an explanation of the notation of the music set to them; but there is so much contra

diction and confusion in the account that it is hardly reliable. The same is true in respect to other writers who have endeavored to ascertain the musical notation of the ancient Greeks from the fragmentary historical remains upon the subject which have reached our times. All of their investigations are unsuccessful and unsatisfactory. When we go still farther back into antiquity to the Hebrews and Egyptians, an impenetrable darkness universally prevails. Some Jewish Rabbins have pretended that they have discovered the true system of musical notation among the ancient Hebrews; but they dif fer materially from each other in respect to its character. The Spanish, Roman, Prussian and Dutch Jews all have different systems of musical notation, and yet each, in the estimation of its advocates, is believed to be the true system of the ancient Hebrews, thus showing that no reliance can be placed upon any of them.

The Romans obtained their knowledge of musical notation from the Greeks, and we are informed by historians that they simplified the system of the latter by employing the Roman alphabet to indicate different sounds. We have authentic history informing us that Greek musical characters were used in the fourth century after Christ. In the fifth century they are mentioned by Boethius and Martianus Capella (vid. fragments of their writings by Meibomius, vols. i and ii). Ambrose, one of the Fathers, in the latter part of the fourth century, improved the rhythm of church chants. In the sixth century Pope Gregory I. established a singing school at Rome, and essentially improved musical notation by substituting Roman instead of Greek letters. The Roman or Gregorian chant was introduced into England about A. D. 596 (vid. Introd. to

the Art. Music in the Enciclo. Brittan. by G. F. Graham). Thus the present system of musical notation was gradually introduced.

We have remarked that the Egyptians had three classes of musical instruments, viz: wind, stringed and percussion. The Hebrews had the same, containing a considerable variety in each class, and especially in the first two; but these we shall examine in our remarks on particular passages of Scripture.

4

MUSIC OF THE BIBLE.

THE PENTATEUCH, OR FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי THE term in Hebrew for Pentateuch is

i, signifying, the five fifths of the law; but the more usual

term is, thora, the law.

Single books were called

Πεντά

The Greek term is Пevrá

p, hhummash, a fifth part. Tεúxos, Pentateuchos, Pentateuch, from пéντε, pente, five, and Tevxos, teuchos, an implement. After the Alexandrine period it signified a book. Many scholars, such as B. Spinoza, R. Simon, J. Clericus, J. G. Hase, F. C. Fulda, J. C. Nachtigal, J. S. Vater, G. M. L. De Wette, L. Bertholdt, C. F. Volney and Rosenmüller have maintained that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses. Within a few years the original documents from which it was taken have been critically examined, and the opinion advanced, that they were not composed nor arranged since the time of Moses. (with the exception of what was done in Ezra's revision); but that they existed before his time, and were combined, arranged, and some of them perhaps translated by him and preserved in the families of Shem, Abraham and the Hebrew patriarchs. This view is, however, contested by a