blance to the rocks at Coblentz, which extend to Andernach. Near Edinburgh, it is to be observed passing into sandstone, and containing red hematite. Salisbury Craig, the rocks at the Custom House, on the sea-shore, to the westward of Newhaven, I found to be of whinstone. Arthur Seat, on the contrary, is truly volcanic, being composed of basaltic lava, scoriæ, tuffa, and other similar rocks. During the few days I remained at Edinburgh, I visited the beautiful range of hills named the Pentlands, in the investigation of which, I was much assisted by Professor Jameson's description in the Wernerian Memoirs. The Professor considers that range as of Neptunian formation, an opinion I cannot subscribe to; on the contrary, I believe that the rocks are decidedly volcanic. These rocks, to me, did not present any regularity of arrangement, nothing like what we observe in the basaltic ranges of Saxony and Auvergne ; hence I learn, that, although the environs of Edinburgh abound in volcanic matter, much of it belongs to the last revolutions of the globe. A principal rock in the Pentland range is felspar, which often contains scales of mica, and crystals of a substance like actinote. It is the same rock I met with in the mountains of the Puy de Dome and Puy de Chopine, and which has engaged much of the attention of Saussure and other naturalists. It is of a volcanic nature, as is also the case with the amygdaloids and scoriæ met with in the same range of hills. The Braid-hills and Blackford-hill, which are composed of varieties of compact felspar, appear to have experienced terrible commotions; in the Braid-hills, in particular, the agitations must have been tremendous. The hills, in a mineralogical view, very much resemble the Puy de Dome in the south-west of France, which is now universally considered as of volcanic origin. the time in which they intend it should be performed, according to the scale of an instrument, called METRONOME, or rule of measure, which gives an exact measure of time corresponding with each number. As, however, this instrument is somewhat expensive, and is little known here, our performers, in general, do not understand the notation of the scale, and are not able to avail themselves of the accurate directions of the several composers who use it. It will therefore probably be agreeable to your musical readers, to have the language of Maelzel's scale explained to them, which, as it is exceedingly simple, may be done in a few words. The indication consists of a musical character, such as a minim, crotchet, or quaver, with a number affixed, which determines the number of minims, crotchets, or quavers, which the composer means should be performed in a minute; or that the minim, crotchet, or quaver of that movement, should have a length equal to the fraction of a minute divided by the number specified. Thus, "60 Maelzel's Metronome” means, that the minim in the movement to which it is prefixed, should be a second or the sixtieth part of a minute, or that sixty minims should be performed in one minute. In the same manner, 100 expresses, that cach crotchet should be the hundredth part of a minute, or that a hundred of the crotchets should take a minute to perform; 75 indicates 75 qua vers to be performed in a minute. It is evident how much more precise and accurate this notation is, than the vague and indeterminate terms Adagio, Andante, Allegro, and Presto, in common use; and we attach the greater value to Maelzel's invention, because we have often had occasion to regret our ignorance of the time in which composers wished their movements to be performed, especially the older masters, such as Corelli, in consequence of a change which has taken place in the meaning of these terms. Now, the time of a piece indicated, according to Maelzel's Metronome, is fixed for ever, and for every country, and there will be no excuse for sing ers drawling out Andantes, till they set us asleep, or for fiddlers rattling through an Allegro, so as to defy any ear to discover the fine combinations of the author. By this notation, the time intended by the author is precisely fixed, and the performer who does not adopt it, must submit to the imputation of incapacity, or of vanity in conceiving himself a better judge of the spirit of a composition, than he who wrote it. Formerly, it was otherwise. When Mr Bremner published some of Corelli's concertos for the harpsichord, he pointed out this evil, and endeavoured to remedy it in regard to them. "The terms Adagio, Largo, Allegro, &c. usually affixed to musical compositions, being in themselves rather vague, it were to be wished that some more determinate means could be found to transmit to posterity the exact time in which every species of music ought to be performed, as then the compositions of the present age might give more pleasure centuries hence, than we now receive from the harpsichord music of former ages. For instance, the editor being, in the year 1762, at a sale of music which belonged to the late Dr Pepusch, purchased Queen Elizabeth's virginal book, which, though exceedingly fair and intelligibly written, and the compositions unquestionably excellent; they being by Tallas, Bull, Bird, and other great masters with whom England then abounded; yet, owing to the seeming irregularity of divisions by bars, and a want of knowing the true times in which the different pieces should move, the best masters are now at a loss how to execute them with propriety. For, should the popular tunes, of which there are many in this collection, be begun as slow as we now think the nature of the melody will allow, yet the variations set to them by those masters increase in difficulty as they go on; and at last become so rapid, that if the execution of those days did not far exceed that of the present, it must be impossible to perform some of them uniformly throughout in equal time." Mr Bremner endeavours to fix the time more precisely in regard to Corelli's concertos, by indicating how many seconds or half-seconds were given to each bar by Pasquali, an excellent violinist and skilful leader of a band, who was allowed to have entered into the true spirit of Corelli's music. Thus, in regard to the celebrated eighth concerto, the first movement is characterized as Vivace, and is to be performed at the rate of three long half-seconds in a bar; the second is marked Grave, and is four seconds in a bar; the third Allegro, is four longish half-seconds in a bar; the fourth Adagio, is eight seconds; the fifth, another Allegro, is four short half-seconds; the sixth is the same as the fourth; the seventh another Vivace, is three short half-seconds; the eighth another Allegro, two short half-seconds; and the last Pastorale, is four short seconds in a bar. This was no doubt a great improvement, but it was not sufficiently precise, for it only fixed accurately two times, seconds and half-seconds. These correspond with 60 and 120 of Maelzel; but all the other numbers between these, and greater and less than these, were still vaguely indicated by the addition of the qualifying epithets long and short. Dr Crotch adopted a very philosophical method of determining the time, with great precision, by marking the length of a pendulum which would vibrate in correspondence with the minim, crotchet, or quaver. Its application was also exceedingly simple. A leaden bullet was affixed to a piece of tape or ribbon, upon which the inches were marked, measuring from the centre of the bullet. By taking hold of the tape at the number of inches designated to be the length of the pendulum, and setting it a swinging, we have the exact time of the minim, crotchet, or quaver, in each vibration. We do not know why this method has not been generally used. Perhaps, when the pendulum is long, it is inconvenient, and not easily managed by unskilful hands. To explain its notation, we give the following table of corresponding times, as measured by pendulumns of different lengths, and the number of Maelzel's metronome, or vibrations in a second, which, though not mathematically, is sufficiently correct. Pend. inches 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 30, 39, 56. Metronome 160, 140, 120, 100, 90, 80, 90, 60, 50. The Maelzel's metronome we have seen is itself a species of pendulum, which is made to vibrate different times by means of a sliding weight upon a portion of the rod continued upwards beyond the point of suspension, and The This furnished with a graduated scale upon which is marked the number of beats it makes, when the upper edge of the weight is adjusted, so as to be opposite to it. It is furnished with an escapement, and its motion is continued by a weight hung over a pully. scale extends from 50 to 160. instrument answers its purpose in some respects, but is not without inconveniences. It is somewhat complex, and may be put out of order. It is not portable, but requires to be fixed against a wall, and at a considerable height. Also the constant loud ticking which it makes at every beat, though perhaps esteemed an advantage by some, who cannot measure equal portions of time in their mind, is disagreeable to those who have a real feeling for music, and will render those who use it constantly, too mechanically uniform in their performance, as it will not permit that judicious acceleration and retardation of the time according to the genius of the passage, in which a great deal of the expression evinced by a performer of taste consists. A simplified metronome, made by Mr Allan, an ingenious instrument-maker in Lothian Street, is free from this objection. It is of a small size, perfectly portable, and is set upon the top of a piano-forte, a table, or any horizontal surface. It has no escapement, and makes no ticking, and needs no weight to continue the motion. In fact, it is nothing but a stand carrying a short pendulum with the rod protracted upwards beyond the point of suspension, having the upper limb graduated with an adjusting weight, moveable upon it. It might be made with a scale of any extent. That which we saw was only graduated from 60 to 120, or from seconds to half-seconds; but it was easy to apply it to any interval of time by halving it or doubling it. Thus, if the direction was to play at the rate of 140 quavers in a minute, we have only to adjust the instrument to 70, which will then give the time of the crotchet; or if we are told that the quaver is 50 in a minute, 100 will give the time of the semiquaver. On the other hand, as this instrument does not tick or beat the time, it will be of no use to performers who are irregular in their time, and is only intended to determine the time in which the movement is to be played, by the perform er counting a few of its vibrations as the pendulum passes the stand. PHILHARMONICUS. Edinburgh, Sept. 1817. AN ACCOMPT FOR MRS MARGARET SMYTHE'S WEDDING CLOATHS, DEC. 1701. [The following accompt of wedding clothes, in the year 1701, forms an appropriate sequel to the View of the Change of Manners among the higher ranks in Scotland during the course of the last century. (See pages 10 and 111.) The lady whose matrimonial paraphernalia are thus minutely given, was a daughter of the honourable house of Methven, and wife of Thomas, afterwards Sir Thomas Moncrieff of that Ilk, Bart.] Imprs. for 20 ells of Holland for six shirts L. 55 2 6 17 4 0 It. for leace to the six shirts zelon for the shirts It. for Holland for 6 sute It. for ane head sute and sute It. for 6 muzlon cravats It. for camrick for 6 hand napkins It. for muzlon for 3 head sutes It. for edgings for 3 head sutes and ruffles It. for laice for a sute of night cloaths It. for muzlon for four aprons and keaming cloaths 7 12 0 212 6 9 12 0 77 3 6 It. for Holland for 2 aprons 10 16 690 0 14 8 0 11 0 0 4 16 0 820 Carry over, L. 479 9 10 Brought forward, L. 1044 18 2 It. to baillie Blackwood for goun, petticoat, 0 It. to the taylour for mak 9 15 850 7 10 6 ing the riding cloaths 263 1 6 11 0 0 *L. 1318 19 8 Endorsed, Accompt delivret be Mr David Drummond for Mrs MarOgaret's wedding cloaths." 0 1 13 6 18 14 0 0 6 101 1 12 0 3 1 10 2 18 2 4 4. MAGNUSEN, PROFESSOR, &c. &c. (Continued from Page 129.) SOMEWHAT later than the Scandians, have Scotts and Attacots crowded from Ireland into Caledonia, † and subdued large tracts of the north-westerly part. They have certainly been more warlike than the Aborigines, and, therefore, obtained the dominion over them; but, as the remaining tracts were already peopled by the valiant and powerful Scandians, or chiefs who were in alliance with them, and instructed by them in the art of war then in use, the Scots were not able to overturn the states and confederacies established by them. Trenmor, of the nation of the Scotts or Attacotts, was the first founder of * That our southern readers may not accuse this lady of extravagance, which so alarming a sum total might seem to justify, we must beg leave to inform them, that the money is Scots, the real amount in Ster070 ling being L. 109, 18s. 3d. 8-12ths. 054 the contract 5 guineas 78 2 0 It. to his man halfe a The Fir-Bolg, or Belga, were the most powerful nation in Ireland in the 34 80 days of Fingal; and hence it may be conjectured, that Trenmor's Celtic tribe was driven from that island to North Britain, where they attained to great power and distinction; and probably he afterwards reconquered a part of his ancient dominions, and erected it into a kingdom for one of his sons.-Their descendants would have been once more driven out by the Belgic king Cairbar, had not Fingal come to the assistance of the Celts. 201 14 0 Carry over, L. 1044 18 2 the powerful kingdom of Morven in the Highlands; and princes of the districts possessed by the Scandians, (such, for example, as Crathmo Craulo,) entered into alliances with him, or became his feudatories. The Druids seem, however, to have formerly extended their influence over the country which Trenmor conquered. The Son of Loda, whom, in the war with him they called to their assistance, was probably from Orkney, or some other part where the Scandians had the dominion. The succour which the Hierarch obtained, shews both the agreement of their religion with that of the Scandinavians, and their near neighbourhood to these, or others of the same race. If both Jutland and Norway have, (according to the conjectures of Vedel Simonson, * and other eminent literati,) before the great deluge which, about 600 years before the birth of Christ, changed the condition of almost all Europe, † formed one conti • In his “Survey of the oldest and most remarkable periods of our National History, Part 1. Vol. II. Copenhagen, 1813."-Compare Schioening on the "Origin of the Northern Nations, Soroe, 1769, p. 232." + According to this hypothesis, Jutland has been united to England or Scotland by what is called the Reef of Jutland, and Scotland again to Norway, in the direction in which the Shetland and Orkney granite rocks stretch across the sea. In like manner, some are of opinion, that England has been connected with Belgic Gaul. All this being admitted, we may easily conceive how such multitudes of Belgae came to England and Ireland, that the Scandinavians spread land-ways even to Scotland, where they met with Celts who had come thither from another quarter; how these different nations mixed with each other: and whence the Cimbri and Celts bore so strong a resemblance to each other in speech, manners, names, &c. Hence also, we may the more readily comprehend in what manner the language of Norway spread itself over the whole Lowlands of Scotland, and why the Scandinavians, who arrived by sea at a later period, met with so friendly a reception from the inhabitants of the coast, who were of the same original stock, and spoke the same language. Thus, the early settling of Scandinavians in Scotland may be supposed to have taken place at two different periods, and probably at both times in the same manner. History does not reach so far back in time as to furnish us with certain information concerning these important occurrences. The mighty volcanic convulsion of Nature, which, according to Eggert Olafsen, and other natural historians, heaved up the mountainous island of Iceland from the bottom of the ocean, must have been sufficient to produce the awful deluge which made such ning has (p. 234) brought forward this havock upon the nearest coasts. but which I shall leave to more skilful conjecture, which appears to me rational, geologists to examine and decide upon. Schioe The separation of Britain from the Continent can, best of all circumstances, account for Dr Borlase's opinion, (Antiquities of Cornwall, p. 4,) that the present name of the island was first conferred by the Phonicians, from the Hebrew BRIT, breaking eff or separating, and TAN, which, in the Punic, Indian, Persian, and Celtic [and the author might have added, in the old Teutonic] languages, significs land; and it is remarkable, that the Scandinavian name Bretland or Britland, has the same meaning; as Britia or Brita in Icelandic signifies to detruncate, detach, or break off and divide, and BRIT accordingly has the same import as in Hebrew. The voyages of the Phonicians in the North of Europe began so early in time, that they may have had certain knowledge of the separation of the island from the Continent. How many words in the Punie language (probably a mixture of the radical languages of Sem and Japhet) have a resemblance to the Scandinavian, may partly be seen from the collection in Rudbeck's Atlantica. Sicily was once separated from Italy by a similar eruption of the sea, according to Claudian: Italiæ pars una fuit, sed pontus et œstus |