people being tired. At first the whole congregation bore a part, singing
all together; afterwards the manner was altered, and they sung
alternately, some repeating one verse, and some another. After the
emperors became Christians, and persecution ceased, singing grew much
more into use, so that not only in the churches but also in private
houses, the ancient music not being quite lost, they diversified into
various sorts of harmony, and altered into soft, strong, gay, sad,
grave, or passionate, &c. Choice was always made of that which agreed
with the majesty and purity of religion, avoiding soft and effeminate
airs; in some churches they ordered the psalms to be pronounced with so
small an alteration of voice, that it was little more than plain
speaking, like the reading of psalms in our cathedrals, &c. at this day;
but in process of time, instrumental music was introduced first amongst
the Greeks.

Pope Gregory the Great refined upon the church music and made it more
exact and harmonious; and that it might be general, he established
singing schools at Rome, wherein persons were educated to be sent to the
distant churches, and where it has remained ever since; only among the
reformed there are various ways of performing, and even in the same
church, particularly that of England, in which parish churches differ
much from cathedrals; but most dissenters comply with this part of
worship in some form or other.

HALBERT H.

* * * * *


SKIMINGTON RIDING.