The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-15
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is kneelng down and holding his hand
 to his ear in the same manner as be-
 foro mentioned, accompanied by a
 harpet
 About the time of the fourteenth dyn-
 asty 1t is supposed that the Hyksos in
 vaded, subiugated and reigned over
 Egypt for 511 years. It is by no means
 improbable that these nomadic intrud-
 CTS who were governed by shepherd
 kings, exercised, during the long period
 of their conquest, some influence over
 Egyptian music, To them might be
 ascribed the introduction of instru-
 ments into the temple service, includ-
 ing the drums and long Egyptian
 flutes, the latter of which were held by,
 the executant in an oblique position.
 At later period the performers of
 their musical requiems consisted of maidens exclusively both singers and
 harpists-and one dancer who regulat- cd her steps according to the rhythm
 of the music. Still later on the whole practice of music was entirely entrust- cd to women. This is sometimes looked upon as the epoch of the decadence of the Egyptian tonal art which dates from the conquest of the land of the Pharaohs by Cambyses and the Per sians t527-521 B. C) Even during the time when the Egyptians were brought Into contact with the Greeks--when the Ptolemles were reigning at Alexandria Egyptian music failed to retain it's national characteristics, even losing, probably by reason of this very connec- tion, it's peculiar charm.
 The harp must have been the most important of the Egyptian instruments and it is. undoubtedly, of Egyptian ori- gin. It is connected with the rise and .decadence of Egyptian civilization. The different constructions shapes, number of strings, and methods of playing the instrument will indicate the most important periods of Egyptian history.
 The most ancient harps are supposed to have been bow-shaped, with one string. This involuntarily reminds one of the Greek fable told by Censorius: Phoebus Apollo hearing the twang of the bow-strlng of his divine sister Ar temis, was seized with the idea that this murderous weapon might yield tones which would bring joy to the heart.
 In the twelfth dynasty the base of l the instrument was so increased in size that it served as a large resonance body 1 and in the new empire the bow-form | and bent outline of the harp disappear ed entirely and were succeeded by the triangular shape. During the reign of | the Ramessids Q464-111O B. CD and un- der Rameses Ill (12S4 B. @ the found- CT of the twentieth dynasty, the harp attained its highest point of develop | ment and became a truly royal instru- | ment. It then acquired the picturesque form which it still possesses. It ex- ceeded in height the instruments now in vogue During the period of it's greatest perfection it had thirteen, eighteen, twenty-one and even twenty six strings and was most probably only played by priests and kings, which l may in some degree account for the | elaborate ornamentation. The frame | work was carved in the richest and most elegant manner, inlaid with gold, | ivory, tortoise shell and mother-of- pearl and it was further ornamented with mythical figures, or with the heads | of gods, goddesses sphinxes and anil | mals. It was sometmies decorated with | colors, the edges covered with morocco and velvet imparting to it a bright and cheerful appearance. It may we'll be that these magnificent instru- ments served as precious pieces of fur niture in the houses of Egyptian gran dees, somewhat in the same manner that our splendid grand pianos, polish- cd like mirrors, adorn our modern res- idenoes.
 From the different positions which the performers occupy when playing the harp one can decide with tolerable certainty the date of the instrument. All representations of harpists during the old empire" show them kneeling. those of the new empire" standing. This remark applies especially to the priests and would therefore have refer ence only to the harps used in the tenn ple Harps borne upon the shoulder and riangular-shaped harps, which also could not rest upon the ground. exist ed simultaneously with the temple ]