The several kinds of flutes are distin guished according to the number of keys, to their purposes, and to their sizes ; they are generally called seconds, thirds, &c. as they recede from the standard, dimin ishing gradually, according to the above terms. The smallest flutes are called pic colo, which implies diminutive : this kind may be sometimes heard in military bands, in which it is often introduced with effect, but we have heard it too much employed by the composer.
The Fife is a well known instrument, almost exclusively allotted to taiilitary purposes. Its scale is rather less co pious than that of the flute ; and for want of keys, though of late years one has been added to some fifes, the chromatic progressions tire extremely imperfi'ct.
The Pipe is very little known, except as a shrill accompaniment to the tabor, and in pastoral dances. Some pipes have two, others three holes above, and one for the thumb below ; all managed by the left hand, the right using the stick for the tabor, which is suspended from the wrist of the left hand.
The Bagpipe is of two sorts ; viz. the Scots and the Irish : the former is filled by means of a wind-bag, carried under the arm, and worked like a pair of bel lows, the other plays with a reed, like the hautboy. These two species have these few years, been blended, under the designation of the union-pipes ; both are fingered much the same as a flute, and have a drone, or open tube, through which the wind passes, causing a deep bumming tone. The bagpipe, however Ancient many assert it to be, nevertheless appears to be derived from the old Gallic musette (which it in every instance resembles) ; as the musette was from the ancient Hebrew sampunia. Hap pily all this genus are rapidly declining.
Having noticed the whole, if we err not, of the instruments in the second class, i. e. of inflation, we shall close their description with observing, that in the organ building line the names of Lincoln and England have long been pre-emi nent ; and that in the manufacture of flutes, Mr. Potter has been justly cele brated. On the whole, however, we have great reason to believe that the wind instruments made by Messrs. Wood, Goulding, and Co. of New Bond-street, will be found excellent of their kind : the great extent of their sales, in that branch, evinces the satisfaction they give, and which a very expensive establishment, of the best artificers, seems- likely to up hold.
The class of collision seems to apper tain exclusively to those instruments which are provided with strings, or wires, and are played upon by means of a piece of curved wood, subtending a quantity of horse hairs, regularly disposed in a flat and parallel manner : these we call bows ; they are of various sizes, according to the instruments to which they respective ly are applied ; namely, the double bass, the violoncello, the tenor, the violin, and the kit.
The form of the Double. Bass is well known ; its tones are of a whole octave be low those of the violoncello, and its scale is equally perfect. It sometimes has a part composed expressly for it; under the term violono ; in which case it performs only the most accented parts of the bass, bordering, indeed, on the fundamental progressions: in most instances, we see it playing in unison with the violoncello. The double-bass certainly is very empha tic, and has a rich effect in such passages as require to be strongly marked.
The Violoncello is an instrument per fectly indispensable in all orchestras, and at regular musical meetings; its scale is extensive, being down to double C, and reaching as high as A, or B flat, in the middle of the treble stave. Its tones are very fine ; and, in the hands of a solo per formedthe violoncello displays a brillian cy far beyond what its appearance would lead us to expect.
The Tenor, Alto, Taille, or Quiente, is a large-sized violin, one octave above the violoncello, and, like it, has two catgut and two covered strings : this instrument sustains the medium parts between the treble and the bass, connecting the har mony, and filling that great interval,which would else be inevitably left void on ma ny occasions. We think the tenor pos sesses a most mellow and expressive tone : when supporting a full passage, it proves a fine pimp to the trebles and when leading the melody, and sustained by the violoncello, affords, in general, a rich treat to musical amateurs. Its effect is best heard in Pleyel's Quartets, &c.