Amidst these Calamities, no wonder that Musick pe∣rished: All Learning lay in the Dust, especially that which was proper to the Times of Peace.
But this Darkness was not perpetual; The Ages at last clear'd up; and from the Ruines of Antiquity, brought forth some broken Pieces, which were by de∣grees set together; and by this time of day are Arriv'd near their ancient Glory. Guido has been Refining a∣bove Six Hundred Years.
Two things are chiefly conducing to this Restoration: The great Genius of the Age we live in, and the great Diligence in searching after Antiquity: The excellent Editions of the best Authors, and the most laborious Comments upon them, abundantly testifie the Truth of this.
In both these Felicities, Musick has had as great a share as any; Aristoxenus, Euclide, Nichomachus, Aly∣pius, Bacchius, Gaudentius, Aristides, Martian, have been with a great deal of Diligence, set forth by Mar∣cus Meibomius, at Amsterdam, in the Year 1652.
And above all, is, Claudius Ptolomaeus, who Correct∣ed and Reconciled the Pythagoreans, and Aristoxeneans, the speculative and practical Parties: This Author was Published by Dr. Wallis, at Oxford, in the Year 1682, who added an Appendix, comparing the Ancient and Modern Harmony; which is as the Key to all our Spe∣culations, and without which the former Authors were hardly Intelligible.
Nor are we less beholding to the Excellent Genius of our Modern Musicians: There are, indeed, only two Fragments (as I know of) remaining of the an∣cient Grecian Compositions; One of Pindar's, found