the ancient music, a term to which we have no one corresponding in our language.

The melopeia, or the art of arranging sounds in succession so as to make melody, is divided into three parts, which the Greeks call leptis, mixis, and clypeis; the Latins sumptio, mixio, and ujus; and the Italians presta, mecolamento, and ujus. The last of these is called by the Greeks παρέλεια, and by the Italians pettia; which therefore means the art of making a just discernment of all the manners of ranging or combining sounds among themselves, so as they may produce their effect, i.e., may express the several passions intended to be raised. Thus it shows what sounds are to be used, and what not; how often they are severally to be repeated; with which to begin, and with which to end; whether with a grave sound to rise, or an acute one to fall, &c. The pettia constitutes the manners of the musical choosers out this or that passion, this or that motion of the soul, to be awakened; and determines whether it be proper to excite it on this or that occasion. The pettia, therefore, is in music much what the manners are in poetry.

It is not easy to discover whence the denomination should have been taken by the Greeks, unless from παρέλεια, their game of chess, the musical pettia being a sort of combination and arrangement of sounds, as chess is of pieces called παρέλεια, calculi, or "chess-men."

Petty, Sir William, son of Anthony Petty, a clothier, was born at Rumney, a small town in Hampshire, in 1623; and while a boy took great delight in spending his time among the artificers, whose trades he could work at when but twelve years of age. Then he went to the grammar school there: at fifteen he was master of the Latin, Greek, and French tongues, and of arithmetic and those parts of practical geometry and astronomy useful to navigation. Soon after he went to Caen in Normandy, and Paris, where he studied anatomy, and read Vesalius with Mr Hobbes. Upon his return to England, he was preferred in the king's navy. In 1643, when the war between the king and parliament grew hot, he went into the Netherlands and France for three years; and having vigorously prosecuted his studies, especially in physic, at Utrecht, Leyden, Amsterdam, and Paris, he returned home to Rumney. In 1647, he obtained a patent to teach the art of double writing for seventeen years. In 1648, he published at London "Advice to Mr Samuel Hartlib, for the advancement of some particular parts of learning." At this time he adhered to the prevailing party of the kingdom; and went to Oxford, where he taught anatomy and chemistry, and was created a doctor of physic. In 1650, he was made professor of anatomy there; and soon after a member of the college of physicians in London. The same year he became physician to the army in Ireland; where he continued till 1659, and acquired a great fortune. After the restoration, he was introduced to King Charles II. who knighted him in 1661. In 1662, he published "A Treatise of taxes and contributions." Next year he was greatly applauded in Ireland for his invention of a double-bottomed ship. He died at London, in 1687, of a gangrene in the foot, occasioned by the swelling of the gout.

The character of his genius is sufficiently seen in his writings, which were much more numerous than those we have mentioned above. Among these, it is said, he wrote the history of his own life, which unquestionably contained a full account of his political and religious principles, as may be conjectured from what he has left us upon those subjects in his will. In that he has these remarkable words: "As for legacies to the poor, I am at a stand; and for beggars by trade and election, I give them..." them nothing: as for impotents by the hand of God, the public ought to maintain them: as for those who can get no work, the magistrates should cause them to be employed; which may be well done in Ireland, where are fifteen acres of improveable land for every head: as for prisoners for crimes by the king, or for debt by their prosecutors, those who compatisionate the sufferings of any object, let them relieve themselves by relieving such sufferers; that is, give them alms (A), &c. I am, contented, that I have assisted all my poor relations, and put many into a way of getting their own bread, and have laboured in public works and inventions, and have sought out real objects of charity; and do hereby conjure all who partake of my estate, from time to time to do the same at their peril. Nevertheless, to answer custom, and to take the sure side, I give twenty pounds to the most wanting of the parish wherein I die." As for his religion, he says, "I die in the profession of that faith, and in the practice of such worship, as I find established by the laws of my country; not being able to believe what I myself please, nor to worship God better than by doing as I would be done unto, and observing the laws of my country, and expressing my love and honour to Almighty God, by such signs and tokens as are understood to be such by the people with whom I live." He died possessed of a very large fortune, and his family was afterwards ennobled.

The variety of pursuits in which Sir William Petty was engaged, shows him to have had a genius capable of anything to which he chose to apply it; and it is very extraordinary, that a man of so active and busy a spirit could find time to write so many things as it appears he did.