Page:The Early English Organ Builders and their work.djvu/19

 to us, and to reconcile conflicting statements, the more perplexed does the subject appear.

As regards the origin of this noble instrument, we may safely assume it to have been the simple series of reeds of various lengths, blown into by the mouth of the performer at the upper ends, and known as the Pipes of Pan. The Greek and Latin shepherds made this primitive instrument of strong reeds, or some other suitable wood. It consisted originally of seven or eight reeds of graduated length, fastened together with wax. The number was afterwards extended to ten or twelve. The Syrinx or Pipes of Pan, by its form and arrangement, may be regarded as the first kind of organ building; for here were a number of pipes placed together in ranks, according to their succession of tones, and sounded by wind.

To obviate the fatiguing motion of the head or hands, by inflating the pipes in some other manner, seems to have been the object of desired attainment for