5-24 MERGE TO GYRENE.

of appropriating hollow spaces beneath the seats of their theatres to the reception of brazen vases, by means of which the sound was considerably improved. We were led to imagine the possibility of this, from the fact of the spaces to which we allude having been carefully formed, and not left merely for the purpose of saving material, or adding to the lightness of the building. We found nothing, however, which could be said to verify the conjecture ; and a few fragments of pottery, which were picked up in some of these apertures, were all that presented themselves, in confirmation of the practice alluded to, during the progress of our excavation*.

* The passage of Vitruvius in question, is as follows, as we have exti-acted it from Wilkins’s translation : — “ From the foregoing investigations,” — those of Aristoxenus on the doctrine of harmony, “ brazen vases have been made upon mathematical calculations, proportioned to the magnitude of the theati-e. They are so constructed, that upon being struck, they form amongst themselves concords of the fourth, fifth, regularly in succession, on to the double octave. They are then arranged amongst the seats of the theatre according to a certain musical proportion, in cells made for their reception. They ought not to be placed in contact with the wall, but have a vacant space above and around them. They should be inverted, and the edge next the stage raised by means of wedges, six inches in height at the least : apertures ought to be made in the seats of the lower I'ow, opposite to the cells, two feet in width, and one in height.”

“ If the theatre be not very spacious,” continues our author, “ thirteen arched cells will be sufficient, in which as many vases are to be placed in the order which he proceeds to point out, by observing which, the voice,” he says, “ which diverges every where from the stage, as from a centre, striking each of these hollow vases, will acquire an increase of clearness and strength, and at the same time produce corresponding tones in concord with itsown sounds.” “ It may, perhaps, be said,” continues Vitruvius, “ that many theatres are built every year at Rome, in which no attention has been paid to these points : the objection, however, is not applicable ; because it is not considered that all public theatres constructed with wood have many surfaces, which act as sounding-