regular figures, such as forward and back,
swing, and so on, the latter kind being restricted to the lower orders.
In all of these, women must have taken a large part, and doubtless they
were responsible for some of the music. They were not allowed to play
the flute, but could indulge in the tabor and other instruments. Some of
the scenes depicted closely resemble the modern stage, and it is more
than probable that, when the audiences of to-day applaud our own ballet
scenes, they are enjoying themselves in the old Egyptian manner.

There can be no doubt that woman played an important part in music,
possibly even in composition, in many civilizations which apparently
allowed her only a restricted field of action. The Empress of Germany
recently defined woman's sphere as consisting of four
subjects,--children, clothes, cooking, and church; yet the German women
have far more influence than this official utterance would indicate. It
is not surprising, then, to find in the folios of Lepsius a reproduction
of something analogous to our conservatories of music. It represents a
course of musical instruction in the school of singers and players of
King Amenhotep IV., of the eighteenth dynasty. There are several large
and small rooms, connected with each other, and containing furniture and
musical instruments. In some are the musicians practising and teaching.
One teacher sits listening to the singing of a young girl, while another
pupil is playing the accompaniment on a harp. Still another girl stands
attentively listening to the teacher's instructions, as in a modern
class. In another place are two girls practising a dance with harp
music. In one room is a young lady having her hair dressed, while in
another a young girl has placed aside her harp and is sitting down to
lunch with a companion. All this goes to show that different
civilizations often resemble one another more than would appear at first
sight, and very probably woman's part in ancient Egyptian music was much
like that which she plays in our own to-day.

The earliest Hebrew music was undoubtedly modelled after that of Egypt.
In later Biblical times, however, there were many national instruments,
and the style of the music must have been characteristic. The Old
Testament, even in its earlier books, contains many examples of the
songs of the people. Their ancient folk-music showed three principal
styles,--the joyous bridal song, the cheerful harvest or vintage song,