The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-13

ent music, obviously alludes to the primitive Versus Fescennini, (so call ed because first used by the people of Fescennia) a species of poetry not remarkable either for it's elegance or .delicacy.
 Although the vocal strains of the Romans were not comparable with those of the Greeks, as limitations of such good originals, they were too far from being contemptible. From their constant and various use among the Romans they are rendered too import ant not to claim formal notice in work protesting to give an account of the ancient musicz-not to stimulate inquiry among the best and most au- thentic of their historians.
 According to Dionysius, one of the branches of the religious institutions of Numa consisted of the Salii, twelve young men of the most grace full apearance. chosen from among the patricians, whose office was to dance in procession and sing hymns of praise to the god of war, beating time upon the Ancilia or sacred shields.
 In this they directly initiated the Greek curates as still more evidently appears from the following brief detail from the same writer "In their evolu- tions, says Dionysius, they keep time to the music of flute, sometimes moving together, sometimes by turns, and in dancing, sing certain hymns af- ter the manner of their country" Ser vius Tullius, who began his reign 137 years after Christ, having formed the people into classes and centuries, or dained that two entire centuries should consist of trumpeters, blowers of the horn, etc., and of such as, without any other instruments, sounded the charge. And in the laws of the twelve tables, among those relating to religious rites, we find the master of the funeral In the games was authorized to make use Of three square mantles, to wear a purple fillet and to be attended by ten players on the flute. And, after order ing that the praises of honored men be displayed in an assembly of the people the same law ordains that mournful songs, accompanied with flute, shall exalt those praises.
 Dr. Burney gives from Livy a kind of history of the Roman drama which, like the Grecian, as the Doctor truly remarks, was inseparable from music.
 Livy, speaking of the plague that ragged during the consulate of c. Sul- picius Petcus and c. Licinnius Stolo (364 B. CD says, "The most remarkable occurrence during this period was that, in order to obtain mercy of the gods, a public feast called Lectisternium, was third entertainment of this kind that had been made since the building of this city. But the magistrates, finding that the violence of the pestilence was neither abated by human prudence nor divine assistance, and having their minds filled with superstition, among other things which were tried in order to appease the incensed deities, are said to have instituted the games called Scenici, which were amusements en- tirely new to a warlike people who, De- fore this time, had none but that of the circu'.
 These theatrical representations. like the beginnings of most other things, were at first inconsiderable and l borrowed from foreigners. Actors were sent for from Etruria, who, without verses, or any action expressive of verses, danced not ungracefully after | the Tuscan manner, to the flute. In process of time the Roman youth be- l gan to initiate these dancers. inter1nix-
 ing raillery in unpublished verses, their gestures corresponding with the sense | of the words. Thus were these plays received at Rome and being improved and refined by frequent performances,
 the Roman actors acquired the name of
 Histriones, from the Tuscan word His
 ter, which signifies a stage player. But | their dialogue did not consist of un.
 premedltated and coarse 1ests in such
 rude verses as were used by the Fes.
 cennini but of satires accompanied
 with music, Get to the flute and recited with suitable gestures. After some
 years, Livius Andronicus first ventured
 t1 abandon satires and write plays
 with a regular and connected plot. Af-
 ter satires, which had afforded the peo-
 pie subjects of coarse mirth and laugh
 ter, were by this regulation reduced tc
 form, acting by degrees, became an
 art The Roman youth left it to players
 by profession and began, as formerly
 to act farces at the end of their regu-
 lar pieces, These dramas were soon 1 afterward called Exodia and were l generally interwoven with the Atellant
 comedies. These were borrowed from
 the Osci and always acted by the Ro-
 man youth who would not allow then l to be. disgraced by the professed ac-
 tors Hence it has been a rule for those
 who performed in such pieces not to be degraded from their tribe and thet
 were allowed to serve in the army as ] they had never a)peared on the stage