of such high Esteem in all Ages, that
it is accounted no less than a Divine Science producing such
Concordance, and Harmony, that it cheereth and rejoyceth the Hearts of
Men, and is delightful to every Creature. It is certainly an Addition to
the joy in Heaven, where the Saints and Angels sing Halleluja's and
Songs of Praises before the Throne of God. St. _Austin_ tells us, that
it is the Gift of God to Men, as well as to Angels, and a Representation
and Admonition of the sweet consent and Harmony which his Wisdom hath
made in the Creation and Administration of the World. But not to
Prologue on what everywhere so much commends it self, I shall Sum up
what in that Nature is expedient in a few Verses, and so proceed to the
Subject Matter, _viz._

_Nature, which is the vast Creations Soul,
That steady curious Agent in the whole,
The Art of Heaven, the Order of this Frame
Is only Musick in an other Name:
And as some King Conquering what was his own
Hath choice of various Titles to his Crown,
So Harmony on this Score now, that then,
Yet still is all that takes and governs Men:
Beauty is but Composure, and we find
Content is but the Concord of the Mind;
Friendship the Unison of well tun'd Hearts,
Honour the Chorus of the noblest Parts.
And all the Worlds good on which we can reflect
Is Musick to the Ear, or to the Intellect._

There are to make up a Musical Harmony computed seven Notes; now in the
easiest way expressed by the Seven letters of the Alphbet, _viz._ A. B.
C. D. E. F. G. And If it so fall out, that a Voice or Musick gradually
rise or fall more than Seven Notes; The subsequent 8th, 9th, or 10th,
will in the same order proceed, bearing the like Relation each to the
other, as the 1st. 2d. 3d, _&c._ to which they respectively are
_Eights_. And so that from hence every Eighth Note, being in Nature
alike, is called by the name of that to which it is in an Eighth;
however above or below it; and for the better understanding the various
Musical Compositions out of these Notes, Musicians have devised and make
use of Lines and Characters, that as a Language they may be understood
and Communicated by Book, for the Instruction of the unlearned: As in
the following Introductory Example, you will perceive;

[Illustration: Music]

In this example, before I come nearer to particulars in general, observe
first, that those Characters you observe at the beginning of the