Page:A Letter of Dr. John Wallis to Samuel Pepys Esquire, Relating to Some Supposed Imperfections in an Organ.djvu/1



r. Harris an Organ-maker (whom I find, by the little discourse I had with him, to be very well skilled in his profession) was lately with me, as by direction from you, to ask my opinion about perfecting an Organ, in a point wherein he thinks it yet Imperfect.

'Tis an honour you please to put upon me, to think my opinion considerable in a thing wherein I am so little acquainted as that of an Organ.

I do not pretend to be perfectly acquainted with the Structure of an Organ, its several Parts, and the Incidens thereunto; Having never had Occasion and Opportunity to inform my self particularly therein. And, for the same reason, many of the Words, Phrases, Forms of Speech, and Terms of Art, which are familiar to Organists and Organ makers, are not so to me. Which therefore I shall wave; (For till we perfectly understand one anothers Language, it is not easy to speak intelligibly;) and apply my self directly to what is particularly proposed.

This (I take it) is evident; That each Pipe in the Organ is intended to express a distinct Sound at such a Pitch; That is, in such a determinate Degree of Gravity or Acuteness; or (as it is now called) Flatness or Sharpness. And the Relative or Comparative Consideration of Two (or more) such Sounds or Degrees of Flatness and Sharpness, is the ground of (what we call) Concord and Discord; that is, a Soft, or Harsh, coincidence.

Now, concerning this, there were amongst the Ancient Greeks, Two (the most considerable) Sects of Musicians: the Aristoxenians and the Pythagorians.

They both agreed thus far; That Dia-tessaron and Dia-pente, Rh