Stray Thoughts On The Origin And Progress Of The Fine Arts.

three periods or epochs . The first is called the ancient epoch this was the era of original or native sculpture , including the time which elapsed from the origin of the Egyptians to the reign of Cambyses , in the 82 nd Olympiad , or 526 years before Christ . The middle epoch , or era of Greco-Egyptian sculpture , embraces the period during AA-hich Egypt was under the dominion of the Persians and Greeks . The third or last bein _ - the era of

mutative sculpture , improperly denominated Egyptian , prevailed about the time of Hadrian . The art of sculpture , like all other arts in Egypt , Avas subject to strict laivs ; and all statues , friezes , etc ., of a religious nature Avere subject to the forms and attitudes prescribed by the pz-iesthood . The tenets of the Government were in opposition to innovation and change of every sort

, and even the trades of the people were made hereditary in the respective families ¦ such a system as this necessity was of a serious drawback to art , by stuitifiying the exertion of the inventive genius of the people . The Egyptians employed several species of stone in their labours , one a species of soft sandstone , one a very hard

calcalerous rock , out of ivhich the sculptured tombs az-e hewn ; another , a species of trap-rock or basalt , of various shades , generally used in their smaller statues ; and granite , usually the species named granites rubesceus , of a reddish hue , with large crystals of felspar , or of a dark red ground Avith black specks , as in the head in the

British Museum , knoivn as the head of Memnon ; this species appears to have been rarely used , however . Small figures have been found composed of metal similar to modern bronze , but metals were sparingly used , probably owing to scarcity . The methods employed by the Egyptians in hewing , carving-, and polishing then- ¦ itaiv . e- 's etc ., are matters of ccnjec-tiire only . Modern tools make iittle impression on ihe porphory , granite , and basalt , of which their works are formed . When we think of the

immense amount of labour required to produce only a few s ] iec-imens of those gigantic forms , our ideas are apt to become confused , and ive can only realise the fact of Ilia existence of such monuments of persevering industry , Avithout being able to obtain a clue as to the mode of their production . The great proof adduced in favor of the antiquity of tiie Egyptian sculpture over that

of Asia , is its uniform and primitive simplicity ; the grand lines of composition are few , and accessories are sparingly introduced , and , when they are made use of , they have the same sober , massive character . While many ofthe nations once inhabiting the finest regions of Asia have left scarcely a single memorial of their ancient

greatness , and while a mass of shapeless ruins remains the sole testimony of their proudest ivorks , the monuments of Egypt stand in stern majesty , bidding defiance to time , and knowing no change , are destined to be in ages yet to come , lasting examples of the industry ancl 2 'erseverance of an extraordinary people .

BAUT HEDGEHOGS . —The baby hedgehogs are the funniest littlo tilings possible ; they are born covered with tiny spines , which . ire quite soft , almost lite iwir . If touched their natural instinct prompts them to curl up . This they cannot do , as the beautiful yet complicated set of muscle .- whereby they arc enabled to perform this operation are not developed till the spines acquire some degree of

hardness . A female hedgehog- ivas bought from a boy , a rev ,- weelcs ago , in the neighbourhood of Oxford , and placed in a basbei ; in A short time four baby hedgehogs made their appearance ; hut the cruel mamma dert-m-ed all he :- progeny , leaving not a bone or bristle . It appear . * , however , that her meal disagreed with her , for she shortly afterward , died ii ' rself , her children not agreeing with lic-r parental stomach . —Biu-Uand ' n Curiosities of JS ' ati' . rsl llisiory .

Music And The Bible.

MUSIC AND THE BIBLE .

We think that we are not far wrong in our opinion that our readers , especially our musical brethren , will thank us for a sketch of a lecture " On the Origin ancl Development of Music and its Instruments , as Chronicled in the Sacred Scriptures . " Tho lecture was delivered at the Edmonton Grammar School by Bro . the Eev . Dr . Margoliouth . Bro . Matthew Cooke presided at the piano , and illustrated certain

parts of the lecture by pieces of traditional Hebrew music . Our Reverend Brother , by ivay of introduction , began his discourse by stating that there is no other book which gives so intelligible an account of the birth and parentage of tho celestial offspring—Music , as does the Bible . He contrasted the accounts we have of that divine art in classic lore with those in the Holy law ; he examined the claims of

Pan , Marsyas , and Apollo , and amply justified his position that , if wo wish to cherish all the " beautiful things ivhich have been said of music , we must associate it ivith its annals in the inspired chronicles . Tho first mention ive have of music is in the First Book ofthe Pentateuch ( Gen . iv ., 21)— "Julia . - he was the father of all such as handle the harp and the organ . " Our brethren

will have no difficulty in accounting to themselves for the early connection between music and Masonry , if they will only z-ecollecfc who ivas the father of Jubal . If they do not take the hint , ive recommend them to peruse Gen . ii * ., 19-22 . The very name Jubal has become incorporated in the languages of all civilised nations as a word expressive of ecstatic gladness . Jubal is the father of all that is happy , joyous , and glorious . Hence the favourite term jubilee . The instruments mentioned in connection ivith Jubal describe tho two great classes of thc earliest musical

' l-is . rumen . s , viz ., stringed and wind . Their preservation , iu spite of the flood , the lecturer accounted for either by tho means of the pillars mentioned in Josephus , or by viva race instruction afforded by tho survivors of the deluge . There can be no doubt i-h ? . _ mns-io . in its . several denartment-s , was cultivated after the flood , though no mention is made of any inventor or discoverer of new instruments . tho

Ou contrary , we find the same instruments in vogue 500 years after JN oah and his family had left the ark . ° Laban thus expostulates with Jacob : " Wherefore didst thou See away secretly , and steal away from me ; and didst uot tell me , that I might havo sent thee away with mirth , and ivith songs , with tabret , and with harp . " ' Here we havo a third instrument—the tabret or tambourineivhich represents the

, third class of musical instruments , namely , percussion . Labaus remonstrance makes palpable another fact .- that is , an alliance—a very natural oue — ivas thus early formed between poetry and music , an union ivhich has become indissoluble by tho universal admiration of every tongue , nation , and kindred : an union whieh exists in the orchestra and minstrelsy of Heaven , Eev . v .. 8-10 .

Jacob and Iiis sons , though no direct mention is made of the fact , cultivated the enchanting art of music . Tho ancientcelebrated painting which ivas discovered in Central E « ypt , m thc Temple of Beni Hassan , representing the arrival of the patriarch and his family into Egypt , proves that the progenitors of the Hebrew race possessed musical instruments peculiar to themselves . The incidental allusion which have to

wo music in thc book which bears the name of one of Jacob ' s remarkable grandsons , even Job , * proves that there was a fair knowledge of music in the family . Thus does the afflicted brother apostrophise the prosperous wicked : "They take tho timbrel , and * harp , and rejoice at thc sound of the organ . " Egypt ' s ; dire- oppression did not altogether quench the genius of music in the breasts of the

Hebrews . JSo ono can read the triumphal song at the Eed Sea , without perceiving that there was a vast amount of musical knowledge , both amongst Hebrew men and Hebrew women oven at that early age " . Handel thought so too , as his magnificent oratorio "Israel in Egypt " testifies . The lecturer traced to tho memorable events connected with thc miraculous passage across the Eed Sea , tho origin of war