Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/23



Antiquity of the flute—Classic legends—Egyptian origin—The Arab "Nay"—Development—The Fipple—Fingerholes—Double flutes—Popularity amongst the Ancients—Ancient players of note—Their position and costume.

is often asserted that the flute is the oldest of all musical instruments: in one sense this is true; in another it is not accurate. It would seem that all the world over a pipe of some sort was the earliest form of musical instrument (the primitive drum can hardly be so termed), and preceded the invention of any kind of stringed instrument; but what we now call a flute—i.e., a tube held parallel to the lips and blown through a hole in the upper side—is in all probability of comparatively modern origin. The term "flute" was Rh