No. CCXXXIII. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

PLATE CVIII.

No. 1. "THE Symphony, or Fiddle: represented here without its cover, that all its parts may be the better distinguished."

No. 2, 3. Two Views of an Instrument which is of the nature of a Guitar; as now used in Egypt: from Niebuhr. It appears from No. 3. that this might be considered as almost a three-sided instrument. The various thicknesses of the wires might add to the varieties of sound produced by skilful management.

No. 4. "The Sackbut."

No. 5. This Figure, from the Antiquities of Herculaneum, is playing on a Harp of the construction of No. 10. Plate cvII. he is also dancing at the same time; which coincides with the idea suggested before, that this Instrument might be adapted for that purpose: moreover, the great length of that member of the Instrument which goes over the shoulder offers a ready counterpoise to the weight of the other member, which comes forward; both, no doubt, were hollow, and therefore the weight of the whole was not considerable.

No. 6. In 1 Cor. xiii. 1. the apostle deduces a comparison from sounding brass, and tinkling Cymbals: perhaps the latter words had been as well rendered clattering Cymbals; since we have seen in Plate cvi. Nos. 10, 11, 12. that such is the nature of the instrument: but, if we may suppose that in the phrase "sounding brass" the apostle alluded to an instrument composed of merely two pieces of brass, like those which this figure holds in his hands, shaken one against the other, thereby producing a kind of rattling jingle, void of meaning, intensity, or harmony, perhaps we should be pretty near the true idea of the passage. Boys among ourselves have such a kind of snappers; and the crotalistria of the ancients were no better. They had several other kinds of insignificant Instruments of Music.

No. 7. A boy playing on the Double Tibia, or Flute.

It deserves notice that all these figures are dancing while they play. This was much more customary among the ancients than it is among ourselves.

No. 8. From the Antiquities of Herculaneum. This figure may give a very good idea of the ancient Toph, or Drum; which was carried in the hand, and beat with the fingers the bells are an addition, and, perhaps, by this addition the simple Drum becomes the Timbrel, or Tabre. It was used both on civil and religious occasions; -is often mentioned as beat by women, Exod. xv. 20; Judg. xi. 34; 1 Sam. xviii. 6: -sometimes by men, 1 Sam. x. 5. As this Instrument is the Tympanum, which constantly accompanies the figure of the goddess Cybele, there is no doubt of its antiquity. It is the Diff of the East, and is still used in Syria. Of late it has become popular among ourselves in the Tambourine.

No. 9. A Drum used in the East, with the different sticks for beating it; in order to produce diversity of sound.

No. 10. "The Kettle Drum of the ancients; like the modern, but much smaller : taken from Pignorius and Mersennus."

A few other particulars are preserved in the traditions of the Jews, and may not be impertinent in this place, though perhaps not to be unreservedly depended on. Their authors assert, that" they said the song over all the burnt-offerings of the congregation, which they were bound to offer, and over the peace-offerings of the solemn assembly, when the wine (of the drink offering) was poured out: but the voluntary burnt-offerings which the congregation offered, and the drink-offering brought for them, they said not the song over them. There might not be fewer than twelve Levites every day to say the song over the sacrifice-and others played on psalteries, pipes,

harps, trumpets, and cymbals. There might not be fewer than two psalteries, nor more than six; nor fewer than two pipes, nor more than twelve; nor fewer than two trumpets, nor more than one hundred and twenty; nor fewer than nine harps, but as many more as they would, and but one cymbal only," or rather, a pair of cymbals of the larger kind. Ainsworth's Annot. on the Psalms, ad fin.

The musical notation of the Hebrews is a curious subject of inquiry. "Neither the ancient Jews, nor the modern, says Dr. Burney (Hist. Mus. Vol. i. p. 7.), have ever had characters peculiar to music:-neither the Egyptians nor Phenicians-nor the Persians or Chinese (Rousseau's Dict. Art. Characters); so that the melodies used in their religious ceremonies have at all times been traditional, and at the mercy of the singers. The Canonico Cavalca is, however, of opinion, that the points of the Hebrew language were at first musical characters; and this conjecture has been confirmed to us by a learned Jew, whom we have consulted on that subject, who says that the points still serve two purposes; in reading the prophets they merely mark accentuation; in singing them they regulate the melody, not only as to long and short, but high and low notes." Burney's History of Music, Vol. i. p. 251. See also Buxtorf's Thesaurus Grammaticus, p. 83; and compare Bedford's Temple-Music, p. 157, seq. This is a common opinion among the Jews; and is perhaps not without foundation.

No. CCXXXIV. OF THE PHYLACTERIES. (PLATE, No. CXV.) UNDER the article PHYLACTERIES in the Dictionary, the reader has seen what information Calmet had collected; which, as far as it goes, is sufficiently correct. We wish, however, to add a quotation or two from Levi's Cerem. of the Jews, p. 187.

The first Phylactery on the Plate is that for the arm its base is pretty much the same as the other, which is for the head; but the square rising of it is plain, not folded into four divisions; and it has not the letter schin.

The Phylactery for the head occupies the centre of the Plate: the reader will observe its three divisions in the base, and four divisions in the rising square; with the letterschin written on it. But, " in regard to this letter schin, there is a difference in the manner of its being done on the two different sides; for on the right side it is thus, with three points, or heads (as they are called in Hebrew) but on the left side it is thus [vide the Plate], with four points, or heads. See Maimonides in Hilcoth Tephillin, cap. ii."

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"It is an article of faith among us that every Jew must, every morning during the time of reading the Shema and the nineteen prayers, have on the Phylacteries. On the sabbath we do not put on the Phylacteries.' "Thus is every one of the Jewish nation sealed with two signs of the covenant, circumcision, and the binding of the Phylacteries-hereby making confession of the unity of God."

Now here arises a perplexity: the letter schin has heretofore been regarded among the Jews, as a mysterious letter; the three points, or heads, issuing from one stem are "an emblem of the heavenly fathers, JEHOVAH OUR LORD JEHOVAH," says Zohar, fol. 54. col. 2.

They rise to a perfect equality, yet are perfectly united in the body of the letter:the Cabalists, therefore, consider this letter as extremely mystical:-they refer it to the 1. FATHER, 2. SON, 3. SPIRIT: but what shall we say to the fourth branch of this schin, worn on the head-phylactery? May it refer to the human nature of the Messiah? -under which idea the Apostle seems to allude to four principles (1 Cor. i. 30.); the Messiah is made unto us from God, 1. Wisdom-referring to the FATHER; 2. Righteousness-the SON; 3. Sanctification-the HOLY SPIRIT; and, 4. Redemption—the human Certainly, we receive redemption by means of the human nature of the

nature.

Messiah; and therefore it may well follow," he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord"-JESUS.

Now if the custom of wearing Phylacteries be ancient (as the time of Moses, say the Jews) if this character of the schin be equally ancient (on which we give no opinion) at least it may become the Jews to consider whether when they profess to inculcate hereby the doctrine of the unity of God, a doctrine never to be receded from, they do not also bear a reference to somewhat still farther implied, even to a fourth branch, whose nature and character might justify and reward their most assiduous enquiries. The three divisions on the base of this Phylactery, with four divisions in the square, seem to be analogous to the three pointed schin, with the four pointed schin on the two faces of the Phylactery. (Vide in the following article a farther hint on Phylacteries.) On the MEZUZA of this Plate we have little to add to MEZUZOTH in the Dictionary— but, 1. This Mezuza must be placed to every door in a house; not merely the front door, but all opening into chambers, &c. 2. Unless a house be built expressly for a dwelling, they are not bound to fix a Mezuza to it. 3. Maimonides (in Hilcoth Mezuza) reckons up ten different characters requisite to constitute a dwelling. We have not observed among the Jews any touching of the Mezuza with the finger, and kissing of it, as asserted in the Dictionary. Nevertheless, this may be practised when Jews are alone.

No. CCXXXV. OF THE PECTORAL. (PLATE, No. cxIII.)

THIS Plate represents the High Priest's Pectoral, or Breast-Plate of Judgment, according to the best ideas hitherto formed of it. The front of it is set with precious stones; the back front, or lining, that next to the High Priest's person, is richly embroidered, and the whole is united at the edges; though it is seen in our Plate as if separated; which is merely for the convenience of shewing both faces, the whole of the subject, at one view.

We have engraved on the stones the names of the tribes, together with their names in the ancient Hebrew, or Samaritan character, and the names of the precious stones themselves; but the reader must not be surprised if he find them differ from those under their articles in the Dictionary, or in any other translation: we know too little on this subject to be able to give a clear account of them, within any limits that would be consistent with the respect due to the reader's patience.

As the Pectoral No. 6. on Plate LXVIII. is among the most perfect delineatious of this ancient Egyptian ornament remaining, we have copied it from Mr. Strutt's “Dresses and Habits of England," Plate III. and, with that gentleman's permission, we submit his remarks to our readers; from his Introduction, p. xx.

"There was no part of the Egyptian dress more universally prevalent than the Pectoral: it appears to have been worn by all ranks and orders of the people; and it was common also to the women as well as to the men. The Pectorals worn by the Egyptian monarchs, by the courtiers, and by the superior order of the priests were, without doubt, exceedingly magnificent. A linen Pectoral, adorned with figures of animals woven in the work, and enriched with gold and variety of colours, was presented by Amasis, king of Egypt, to the Lacedæmonians; and the chain, which, according to Herodotus, was a necessary appendage, though extremely slender and delicate, consisted of no less than three hundred distinct threads. The form of the Egyptian Pectoral appears upon a multiplicity of different figures: it was semicircular, and constantly adorned with rows of ornaments one above another, in which not only the ornaments themselves, but the colours also, were much varied. The Pectorals appropriated to the female figures are frequently smaller in proportion than those belonging to the men; but this is by no means always the case. Four figures of the

first Plate, two figures of the second Plate, and the fourth figure of the third Plate, are all invested with the Pectoral; and that belonging to the last is not only the most perfect, but apparently the most elegant [this we have copied, No. 6.]: it consists of seven rows of ornamental work; whereas the others have not more than three, four, or five, at the most. There seems to have been no regular number assigned to these arrangements: some Pectorals have ten, some twelve; and this splendid specimen, which was taken from the breast of a mummy, and copied upon the third Plate, has no less than fourteen: the chain, by which it was attached to the breast, is not to be found; but probably it was connected with the two circular parts that appear on each side, and which were fastened upon the shoulders. The representation here given is nearly half the size of the original: the ornaments are finished with a prodigious degree of exactness, and the colours are placed in a regular succession; the light parts of the appendages at the top are gilt; and the darker parts are blue striped upon a black ground: the narrow borders, by which they are united to the Pectoral, are red, blue, black, and white, alternately. The first row of the ornamental part is light blue; the second yellow, green, and white: the third bright red and black; and the fourth is the same as the second: the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, correspond exactly with the four first, and are repeated in the four succeeding rows; the thirteenth is like the first; and the ground of the fourteenth is black, with red, blue, and green stripes, alternately succeeding each other.

“The deity Osiris, represented by [the image, No. 5. on our Plate] is habited in a manner differing from any of the preceding examples; for the greater part of his body, both his arms to the wrists, and his legs, are covered with a robe that reaches to his feet; his Pectoral is large and radiated; and the mitre upon his head bears great analogy to the high-crowned cap with a knob, or boss, upon the top of it, which the author last mentioned assures us was worn by the priests of Egypt and of Ethiopia. He also adds, that it was wreathed about with a serpent called the asp. In the present instance the asp, or an animal of the serpent kind, appears upon the front of the mitre, with the head elevated from the verge. The scourge, which is held by this figure in his right hand, and the crooked sceptre in the left, were symbolical of some peculiar attributes belonging to the deity; but the learned are by no means agreed in the application of them. In the representation of Osiris, especially when he appears with the long robe, it is thought we may find the full dress of the high priest of the Egyptians; and this opinion will, we trust, receive additional strength, when it is proved that many parts of the splendid habit which was made for Aaron originated from the dress of this deity.

"The original of this curious little figure, which is nearly of the same size as the copy, was found with four others (two of them representing the same deity, and the other two the goddess Isis with the infant Orus, or Horus, upon her lap) near St. Alban's in Hertfordshire, within the site of ancient Verulam, a city of the Romans. They were purchased by Benjamin West, Esq. historical painter to his Majesty; in whose possession they now remain. The present figure is much more perfect than any of the other four.

"The form of the regal crown is no where ascertained; but the name of the portion of gold belonging to the pontifical mitre, may possibly throw some light upon this obscure subject. It is called a flower of gold in one place; and in another the flower of the holy crown; and in both passages signifies the crown itself. The appellation of the flower is supposed to have been given it, because it was made in a flower-like or radiated form; and we may reasonably enough conclude, that the regal and pontifical crowns bore some resemblance to each other, when we are assured that they were

symbolical, in both instances, of the same thing. It appears from several parts of Scripture, that the kings in ancient times did not appear without their crown, unless upon such occasions as they chose to disguise themselves; and even that they wore them in the field of battle.

Phylacteries, or frontlets, formed part of the Jewish head-dress; they consisted of scrolls of parchment, and were inscribed with portions of the law, which they were strictly enjoined to wear upon their hands also, as well as upon their foreheads: " And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes." A modern author, speaking of the head-dress of the Arabs of Yemen, and particularly of the external cap, which was often richly embroidered with gold, assures us, that all of them that he had seen had these words: "There is no God but God; Mahommed is the apostle of God;" or some other sentence from the Koran; La Alláh illa Allâh Mohammed rasul Alláh (Niebuhr, Trav. p. 55.), and this custom seems clearly to have been derived by the Mahommedan Arabians from the frontlets of the Jews. The reader will have observed that the back, or lining, of the Pectoral, in Plate CXIII. is ornamented with flowers, designed in a modern rather than an ancient taste; but, in the Pectoral under consideration, we are sure that we inspect an example of the ancient Egyptian style of decoration. From the regular repetition of its colours, we suspect that this article may furnish a tolerable idea of those works of embroidery among the early Hebrews which are described as composed of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. As this has somewhat perplexed the present writer on another occasion (in Solomon's Song), he solicits excuse for saying a few words on the subject here.

The word rendered blue is an тeceLeт. Abarbanel (on Exod. cap. xxv. f. 190.) affirms, it signifies yellow; Maimonides (de Vasis Sanct. cap. viii. sect. 13.) says it imports sky-blue; and Braunius (De Vestit. Sac. Heb. lib. i. cap. 13, 15.) thinks he has demonstrated that fact. As our public version has accepted this signification of the word, we shall agree with it: but think it includes the idea of a border, or stripe, or termination (q. the verge, or extremity? from caleh, to conclude or finish), in which case it perfectly coincides with our Pectoral under consideration; but, that it is not confined to the idea of SKY-blue, may appear from Numb. iv. 6. where directions are given to place upon the tabernacle a covering of skin-blue, that is, blue Morocco leather, as hinted on our Plate of the Tabernacle; and to spread over the whole a surtout of tecelet, "wholly of blue," says our translation; perhaps, the meaning is, "of a full deep blue," such as indigo is capable of producing: for we presume that indigo, or some such plant, was the dyeing material then in use; and, as we know this bears washing repeatedly, and stands well, it follows, that rain, soil, or other adventitious damages to which the outer covering must be liable, would be no real injury to a protecting material of this colour.

The next word is N AReGaMaN, rendered purple; and if Josephus (Antiq. lib. iii. cap. 5.), and Philo (lib. de Congressu), are correct, this was a very deep purple: but, we presume, that the purple of the ancients is well described under its article in the Dictionary, as a very deep red: in fact, the colour of our pigment called lake. Now, this also is not far from agreeing exactly with the stripes in our Pectoral; for none of these are purple, strictly speaking, but of a deep reddish hue, the hue "of cougulated blood," concreti sanguinis, says Pliny.

The words rendered scarlet are yn TULOTH SHENI; sheni signifies double, or repeated: and tuloth, say the lexicons, signifies the worm, or grub, coccus, or al-kermes ; an insect found on the leaves of a kind of oak, and not unlike the cochineal. The import then is double-dyed with the worm-colour.