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CHINESE MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS. 175
out and adhered to, as is the cut of the garments, or the exchange of civilities among this precise people.*
If ever change takes place in their musical system U will assuredly be a gravitation towards the European, as they have in a certain measure a comprehension, theoretically at least, of our system of semi-tones, but could by no means conceive of, and accurately produce the third and quarter tones of Indian music. We have already related the ineffectual movement towards western style, made in the last century; during the embassy of 1793, Macartney observed many indications of inclination for our system, such as the use of the violin,f the notation of music upon ruled paper, and interest in the bind concerts given at his rooms each evening. He also found in the emperor's palace at Yuen min-ytien, an English musical clock, made by Geo. Clarke, Leadenhall Street, London, which played many selections from the " Beggar's Opera. "J It is certainly not too venturesome to predict, in spite of the jarring of their music upon us, that they may yet develop a taste for some of the coarser branches of ours.
*" Among the Chinese themselves, society chiefly consists of certain stated forms, and expressions, a calm, equal, cold deportment, hypocritical attentions, and hyperbolical professions." Barrow's Life of Macartney, t. 2, p. 414. The curious reader will also find a very full description of Chinese social etiquette, in the " Description tie la Chine," by Pere Du Ilalde, pages 115 to 154, rol. 2. Rules are given for set formalities, even on the slightest occasions, sucb as, the opening of a conversation when visiting (p. 126), the exit, the rising from tabi-after nieaut, (loHi, etc., etc. It U possible, that iu the customs of this people, we may se« a living reproduction of some traits of the ancient Egyptians ' Barrows life of Macartney, v 2, p. 231. t Ibid,T. 2, p. 217 |
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