ST. SEPULCHRE'S CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE, "St. Sepulchre" (says the author of "Notes on the Cambridgeshire Churches") is one of the four round churches still remaining in the kingdom, and perhaps the least injured of the four. The circular part is supported by eight piers, with semicircular arches: above these are a second tier of eight arches, enclosing each two small ones, with separate shafts: the capitals of these are very varied, and have, in common with the groining, the Norman enrichments. On the second tier of arches are the light inserted perpendicular windows. This part of the church is greatly injured as to effect by the pews, gallery, and ceiling. The chancel is perpendicular: the original mouldings of the door are hidden by the cement, which is impressed with some Norman mouldings; but they are not copies of the original. The font is plain perpendicular." It may be added that the circular part of this church is 41 feet in diameter. The description just given is that which belonged to Sepulchre twenty years ago. Since that time great pains have been taken to restore it to its original condition. The tower has had its conical top replaced, and its interior has been cleared of the incumbrances, while the rest of the church has been almost entirely rebuilt. THE NEW MONTHLY BELLE ASSEMBLÉE. APRIL, 1850. A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF MUSIC, FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES. CHAP. IV. Having collected, in former chapters, the elements of ancient musical history as connected with the Jewish nation and the Pagan world, we shall now endeavour to show that Music has always occupied a prominent position in Christian times, and that it has never ceased to form a part in the religious services of the Catholic church since the institution of Christianity. The earliest notices of Music to which attention will now be directed are connected with the primitive Christian church. As we proceed down the stream of history, and materials thicken around us, we shall glean such accounts of its secular progress as are necessary to the completion of a general sketch of the art down to the beginning of the last century. Music was employed from the earliest ages of the Christian church in its religious service. The most careless reader of ecclesiastical history cannot fail to have been struck by the prominence given to it in the religious exercises of every people and of all times; a prominence, indeed, such as to have earned it the name of the "handmaid of divinity." Painting and Sculpture-nay, even Architecture-have at various times been neglected by this or that class of religionists; but Music never. What the music of the first Christians was can only be matter of conjecture; "but," says Mr. Hogarth, "it may be supposed to have been similar to that which had formerly been used in the different countries where they dwelt. In Palestine the religious chants formerly used in the Jewish worship would still be used; and in other parts of the Roman empire the new Christians would have recourse to the Pagan hymns of the Greeks and Romans. That their music was partly, at least, borrowed from the | Greeks, appears from the circumstance that when St. Ambrose, about the end of the fourth century, digested this music into a regular system, and established what has been called the Ambrosian chant, the nomenclature he adopted was entirely Greek. The learned Padre Martini was of opinion that the ecclesiastical chants of the primitive Christian church were as old as the time of King David. "In the reign of King David,” he says, " music had a regular establishment in the worship of the sanctuary. The nature of their songs is unknown, but it may be believed that they regulated the various tones or modes according to the various affections, marking the path which was afterwards followed by the restorers of the ecclesiastical song. I am also of opinion that the pure diatonic scale was in use in the Temple, as the most natural and easy, and the most worthy of the majesty of so venerable a place. The Hebrew instruments were not adapted to follow the variations of the chromatic and enharmonic intervals. It also appears probable that some of the chants which were there practised are the same with, or differ very little from, those still sung in the ecclesiastical canto fermo. The Hebrew music of the Psalmody, from the time of David, appears to have been transmitted from father to son, till the middle of the first century of the church. The apostles, who were accustomed to frequent the Temple, most probably used the chant in which the people replied to the Levites; and as the heads of the Hebrew faith were so bigoted to the preservation of their religious forms, these psalms were, doubtless, the same as those of David." Padre Martini then says, on the authority of St. Augustine, "that it appears from various writings of the apostles and fathers of the church, that unisonious song was in use nies in the most decorous and solemn manner. It was in the time of this prince, about the year 384, that the Roman Games in honour of Jupiter were abolished; "an event," says Dr. Burney, throughout the Catholic church in the second, | settling the performance of its rites and ceremothird, fourth, and fifth centuries; and that it was introduced and ordained by the apostles," and concludes that "from these premises it would seem that the chants now used in the Roman church were introduced by the apostles," perhaps no less fatal to the cultivation of and came originally from David; and the chant of the psalmody, called, by the fathers of the first century, unisonious, or consonant, was the same as that called by us, canto fermo, or Gregorian." Martini has given, in the same work, a number of the chants sung in the synagogues of different parts of Europe, which, considering the tenacity with which the Jews adhere to the rites and observances of their religion, may not unreasonably be looked upon as reinnants of the ancient religious music of that people. This opinion agrees, also, with that of Mr. Nathan, quoted in a former chapter. These chants are simple, grave, and solemn; and their resemblance to the Gregorian chants of the Roman church is sufficient to induce the belief that the ancient Jewish chants were adopted by the primitive Christians. Justin Martyr, who flourished in 163, has left, in his "Apology," a clear and indisputable testimony of the early use of hymns by the Christians. He writes, "Approving ourselves grateful to God, by celebrating his praises with hymns and other solemnities.' "Philo," says Dr. Burney, speaking of the nocturnal assemblies of the Christians upon the vigils of saints, says, "After supper their sacred songs began. When all were arisen, they selected from the rest two choirs-one of men, and one of women-in order to celebrate some festival; and from each of these a person of a majestic form, and well skilled in music, was chosen to lead the band. They then chanted hymns in honour of God, composed in different measures and modulations, now singing together, and now answering each other by turns.' This passage sufficiently proves the use of music by the primitive Christians, even before churches were built, or their religion was established by law. And Eusebius, in speaking of the consecration of churches throughout the Roman dominions, in the time of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, says that "there was one common concent in chanting forth the praises of God: the performance of the service was exact, the rites of the church decent and majestic; and there was a place appointed for those who sung psalms-youths and virgins, old men and young.' It was in the year of our Lord 312 that Christianity became the established religion of the Roman empire. In 313 Constantine built several sumptuous churches for the Christian worship; and in the following year, the celebration of the usual secular Games in Italy was omitted. From this time to the reign of Theodosius, a period of about 70 years, was spent in vain struggles by the Pagans, for the restoration of their ancient religion, and in successful endeavours on the part of the Christians for the establishment of their new worship, and in Music and Poetry, than favourable to good order and decorum." However, according to St. Chrysostom, this emperor employed musiciansperformers on the flute and harp-to play to him while he was at table. It was during this reign that the Ambrosian chant was established in the church at Milan. St. Augustine speaks of the great delight he received in hearing the psalms and hymns sung there, at his first entrance into the church after his conversion. "The voices flowed in at my ears, truth was distilled in my heart, and the affection of piety overflowed in sweet tears of joy." He afterwards gives an account of the origin of singing the church service at Milan, in the Eastern manner. As Christianity was originally established in the East, it is natural to suppose that all the rites and ceremonies originated there, and were afterwards adopted by the Western Christians; and St. Ambrose is not only said, by St. Augus tine, to have brought thence the manner of singing the hymns, and chanting the psalms which he established at Milan, and which was afterwards called the Ambrosian chant; but Eusebius (the very best possible authority) tells us that a regular choir and method of singing the service was first established in the church at Antioch, during the time of Constantine, and that St. Ambrose, who had long resided there, brought his melodies thence. These melodies continued in use, with few alterations, till the time of Gregory the Great. The plain-song of St. Ambrose, to the "Te Deum," is almost note for note the same as in the prayer-book of Merbecke. Here, then, in the Christian church, began the practice of antiphonal chanting: that is, by change or course, first on one side and then on the other; as at present followed in the cathedrals of the Anglican church. This was introduced into the church at Antioch, by St. Ignatius, who was a disciple of the apostle St. John. Thus the antiquity of cathedral service cannot be denied. A delightful writer on the subject remarks: "Andrew Marvell, who loved it not, admits its origin to have been as early as the year of our Lord 350; and for those who love it, it is no unpleasing recollection that it was first heard at Antioch, where the disciples were first called Christians. It can be traced nearly 1,200 years back in this country, having been heard at Canterbury in the seventh century; and from that time to the period of our Reformation, its performance in the church of England, in alliance with the Latin tongue, was unremitted." About the end of the sixth century," says Mr. Hogarth, "the celebrated Pope Gregory the Great, improved and extended the limits of the ecclesiastical chant, and threw it into that form which, in the Roman church, is retained at this |