Page:Young - Outlines of experiments and inquiries respecting sound and light (1800).djvu/46

 the use of an impracticable instrument, leaves the whole subject precisely where it found it. , and other German writers, have disputed with great bitterness, almost every one for a particular method of tuning. It is not with any confidence of success, that one more attempt is made, which rests its chief claim to preference, on the similarity of its theory to the actual practice of the best instrument-makers. However we estimate the degree of imperfection of two tempered concords of the same nature, it will appear, that the manner of dividing the temperament between them does not materially alter its aggregate sum; for instance, the imperfection of a comma in a major-third, occasions it to beat very nearly twice as fast as that of half a comma. If indeed the imperfection were great, it might affect an interval so materially as to destroy its character; as, in some methods of temperament, a minor third diminished by two commas approaches more nearly to the ratio 6 : 7, than to 5 : 6; but, with this limitation, the sum of harmony is nearly equal in all systems. Hence, if every one of the twelve major and minor thirds occurred equally often in the compositions which are to be performed on an instrument, it would be of no great consequence, to the sum of the imperfections, among which of the thirds they were divided: and, even in this case, the opinion of the best practical authors is, that the difference of character produced by a difference of proportions in various keys, would be of considerable advantage in the general effect of modulation. But, when it is considered, that upon an average of all the music ever composed, some particular keys occur at least twice as often as others, there seems to be a very strong additional reason for making the harmony the most perfect in those keys which are the most frequently