________________
AUGUBT, 1912.)
ANCIENT HINDU MUSIC
191
This will be more evident by a reference to the following comparative diagram of the primitive Sanskrit shadja-g: ima and the European diatonic scale, as drawn for the Rajah Sir S. M. Tagore, and published in his work upon the Musical Scales of the lindus" from data supplied by tlus ancient treatises, the measurements being those of a string 90 inches long30
• The only differenco, it will be seen, is in the fact that the sixth is in the European diatonic scale flatter than in the ancient one ; so that the ancient Sanskrit sixth had apparently the same ratio, theoretically, as the Pythagorean sixth of the Greeks.'
O course, Capt. Day is under a delusion when he says that the Raja's diagram was drawn * from data supplied by the ancient treatises. It is, as I have said above, nothing more or less than Sir W. Jones' original misinterpretation of the shadja-gráma 40
Capt. Day was not the only person who was thus misled. Others wero similarly led into crror, the most notablo of whom was Mr. A. J. Ellis, who writes as followgil :-[Scales • Nos. 73 and 74 are an attempt to represent the Indian Chromatic Scale from indications in Rajah Sourindro Mohun Tagore's Musical Scales of the Ilindus, Caleatta, 1881, and the Annuaire lu Conservatoire de Bruxelles, 1878, pp. 161-169, the latter having been drawn up by Mong. V. Mahillon from information furnished by the Rajah. As regards the 7 Rued notes (prukrita) of the C seale (sharja gráma), C, D, E, F, G, A (a congma sharper than our 4, ),42 B, there seems to be no doubt of the theoretical values. As to the 12 changing notes (rikritā), the values given can be considered only as approximative. The division of the intervals of a major Tone of 204 cents into 4 degrees (srutis); of a minor tone of 182 cents into 3 degrees; and of a Semitone of 112 cents into 2 degrees, as indicated by the superscribed numbers, is also certain.43 But whether the 4 parts of a whole Tone were equal and each 51 cents, and the three parts of a minor Tone were also equal and each equal to 60 cents, and the two parts of a Semitone were also equal and cach therefore 56 cents, is quite uncertain.' Mr. A. J. Hipkins, who worked with Mr. A. J. Ellis in examining an Indian vind, and the aruti-vind imagined by Raja S. M. Tagore, shows a clearer insight into the matter, when, in a communication to Capt. Day, he remarks that the In lian scale intervals ought to be understood as they are explained by native writers-namely, as a tone, a 3-tone and a -tone, composed of 4, 3 and 2 śrutis respectively.45 Besides Mr. Bosanquet he seems to be the only person who grasped the truth amidst groundless erroneous assertions. Unfortunately as regards the disposition of the śrutis in the senle he is unaware of the mistake inade by previous writers, to which I have so often referred, and accepts it, together with its unfailing accompaniment of a dha, sharper by a comma than the A of the Earopean scale of just intonation.
3) I have omitted the diagram.
* In justice to the Raja himself it must be admitted that he does not claim that the diagram was drawa from anta supplied by the ancient treatises', and in oqual justice to Capt. Day it must be romarked that the Riji no fortunately writes in a manner, which suggests that he has got the ancient Sanskrit treaties at his hnok in what he has to say. Thus in the present instance the adjectives 'Primitive Sanskrit' applied to the soule robably misled Capt. Day.
11 In his translation of Holmholtz's work, 3rd edition, p. 521.
11 The rondor will at onco recogniso in this the same ghost, which was originally raised by Sir W. Jones and subsequently owned and exhibited by RAJA 8. M. Tagore, only clothed in language of upparently greater precision. Por, Sir W. Jones thought the interval between pa and dhe to bo major tone, whereas that between G and A (to which they were supposed to correspond) is a minor tone, the difference between the two being a comina.
* This again is simply a re-iteration of Sir W. Jones' error which has beon exposed above. " The Mwic of Southern India, p. 21.
* Subjeot to correction (whiob will be explained below) based on the authority of Sanskrit writers themselves,
