Replies to Minor Queries.
Lady Nevell's Music-book (Vol. vii., p. 59.).—To transpose the six-line staves of old music into the five-line staves of modern notation, it is only necessary to treat the lowest line of the treble, and the highest line of the bass, as ledger lines. The five remaining will correspond with the five now in use.
I should feel greatly obliged to your correspondent L. B. L. for a sight of his Virginal Book, as it appears to be an exact transcript of the one in Dr. Rimbault's possession.
Wm. Chappell.
201. Regent Street.
Tuch (Vol. vii., p. 82.).—Alphage suggests that the "touchstone" had its name because "a musical sound may be produced by touching it
sharply with a stick." I think this is an error, and that it owes its name to its use in the assay of gold and silver. We find this application of it described in a work (now scarce) published in 1677, under the title of A Touchstone for Gold and Silver Wares. The author, after describing the qualities of a good touchstone, observes (p. 36.):
"The way to make a true touch on the touch-stone is thus: When your touch-stone is very clean ... your silver being filed ... rub it steadily, and very hard, on the stone ... until the place of the stone whereon you rub be like the metal itself ... wet all the toucht places with your tongue, and it will show itself in its own countenance."
And that the touchstone was used in this connexion at a much earlier period is obvious from the language of the ancient statutes. The 28 Edward I., stat. 3. cap. 20., requires all gold and silver wares to be "of good and true allay, that is to say, gold of a certain touch." And the word occurs in the same sense in other statutes.