BOOK III. sound just past, I might appeal to all acquainted with music, who know how easy it is to repeat a sound in the same pitch with one just heard. In tuning an instrument, a good ear can as easily determine that two strings are in unison, by sounding them separately, as by sounding them together; their disagreement is also as easily, I believe I may say more easily and better distinguished when sounded separately; for when sounded together, though you know by the beating, that one is higher than the other, you cannot tell which it is.-Farther, when we consider by whom these ancient tunes were composed, and how they were first performed, we shall see that such harmonical succession of sounds was natural and even necessary in their construction. They were composed by the minstrels of those days, to be played on the harp accompanied by the voice. The harp was strung with wire, and had no contrivance, like that in the modern harpsichord, by which the sound of a preceding note could be stopt the moment a succeeding note began. To avoid actual discord, it was therefore necessary, that the succeeding emphatic note should be a chord with the preceding, as their sounds must exist at the same time. Hence arose that beauty in those tunes that has so long pleased, and will please for ever, though men scarce know why. That they were originally composed for the harp, and of the most simple kind, I mean a harp without any half notes, but those in the natural scale, and with no more than two octaves of strings from C to C, I conjecture from another circumstance, which is, that not one of those tunes really ancient ancient has a single artificial half-note in it; and that in tunes where it was most convenient for the voice, to use the middle note of the harp, and place the key in F, there the B, which if used, should be a B flat, is always omitted by passing over it with a third. The connoisseurs in modern music will say I have no taste,—but I cannot help adding, that I believe our ancestors, in hearing a good song distinctly articulated, sung to one of those tunes, and accompanied by the harp, felt more real pleasure than is communicated by the generality of modern operas, exclusive of that arising from the scenery and dancing. Most tunes of late composition not having the natural harmony united with their melody, have recourse to the artificial harmony of a bass and other accompanying parts. This support, in my opinion, the old tunes do not need, and are rather confused than aided by it. Whoever has heard James Oswald play them on his violoncello, will be less inclined to dispute this with me. I have more than once seen tears of pleasure in the eyes of his auditors; and yet I think even his playing those tunes would please more, if he gave them less modern ornament *. That these observations are dictated by good taste, we may presume from their agreement with the opinions of one who was an exquisite judge of the subject. "The Scottish songs, when sung in the genuine, natural "manner, must affect the heart of every person of feeling, whose taste "is not vitiated by fashion and novelty. As they are the effusions of "genius, and devoid of art, they bid defiance to artificial graces and affected. "cadences. CHAP. I. BOOK III. 66 My son, when we parted, desired me to present his affectionate respects to you, Lady Kames, and your amiable children be so good with those, to accept mine, and believe me, with sincerest esteem, my dear Lord, &c. B. FRANKLIN." "P. S. I do promise myself the pleasure of seeing you and my other friends in Scotland, before I return to America." CHAP. "cadences. To a sweet, liquid, flowing voice, capable of swelling a note "from the softest to the fullest tone, and what the Italians call a voce di petto, must be joined sensibility and feeling, and a perfect understanding "of the subject and words of the song, so as to know the significant word, on " which to swell or soften the tone, and lay the force of the note. From a "want of knowledge of the language, it generally happens, that to most of "the foreign masters, our melodies at first seem wild and uncouth; for "which reason, in their performance they generally fall short of our expec"tation. It is a common defect in some who pretend to sing, to affect to "smother the words, by not articulating them, so as we scarce can find out "either the subject or language of the song. This is always a sign of want "of feeling, and the mark of a bad singer, particularly of Scottish songs, "where there is generally so intimate a correspondence between the air and "the subject. Indeed, there can be no good vocal music without it. The proper accompaniment of a Scottish song, is a plain, thin, dropping bass, on the harpsichord, or guitar. The fine breathings, those heart-felt touches which genius alone can express in our songs, are lost in a noisy accompaniment of instruments. The full chords of a thorough bass, should be used sparingly, and with judgment, not to overpower, but to support and "raise the voice at proper pauses."-Dissertation on the Scottish Music, by WILLIAM TYTLER, Esq; in the Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. 66 CHAPTER II. Succession to the Estate of Blair-Drummond.-Lord Kames's N In the year 1766, Lord Kames received a very large addition to his income, by the succession to the estate of BlairDrummond, which devolved on his wife by the death of her brother George Drummond, Esq. This event was attended with no other change on his part than the extension of his schemes of benevolence and public spirit. To the honour of his Lady, who brought him this great accession of fortune, it is but just to mention, that, confining herself with admirable discretion to her domestic duties, and to the regulation of a more ample household, she was never known to interfere in the most trifling particular with her husband's management of this estate, which though devised to her and to her heirs, under the limitations of a strict entail, she left him to conduct with as little controul as if it had been his paternal inheritance. 1 CHAP. II. Succession to the estate of Blair-Drum mond. BOOK III. tural improvements. The seasons of vacation were now spent at Blair-DrumHis agricul- mond, where he began to execute a variety of agricultural improvements on an extended seale, which, while they set a great example for the imitation of the neighbouring landholders, have proved of the most solid and permanent be nefit to the proprietor and to his heirs. He had gained much useful experience in the cultivation of his estate of Kames; and the same modes of husbandry in the raising of green crops, of sown grasses, summer-fallowing, and other practices of English agriculture, which he had successfully introduced in the county of Berwick, were now transferred to his new possessions, and prosecuted with great vigour and perseverance. Extraordinary plan of improvement on the Moss of Kincardine. Among these plans of improvement was one of a nature so extraordinary, as to be generally regarded at first as a chis merical project, which must either have been abandoned af ter a short experiment, or if persevered in, attended with the most serious loss to the undertaker. Yet this project, of which the apparent difficulties would have deterred a weaker spirit, was the result of the most sagacious foresight, and founded on the surest principles; and it has turned out to advantage far surpassing the most sanguine views of its contriveritat The Moss of Kincardine, which is a level swamp of about four miles in length, and from one to two miles in breadth, |