The figures underneath indicate—5, the commencement of the alto in the lower fifth; 8, that of the tenor in the lower octave; and 12, that of the base voice in the Duodecima gravi.
The Chromatic Canon.
[We have also reduced the above to two staves, for the reasons before assigned.]
More mystical still appears the Enigmatic Canon. In such, generally, are found neither signs, figures, nor letters, and frequently even no clef. The problem is a matter of mere keen guess work, and pondering and poring over it, till, with the subtilty of an Œdipus, one arrives at the truth, and the correct solution presents itself in harmonic purity. In such cases it is necessary to try the subject by transposing it into every higher and lower interval; by inverting it and casting it into contrary motion; by interpolating longer or shorter rests; by trying it backwards; by augmenting or diminishing the value of the notes; and even by applying the obsolete clefs, the mezzo-soprano, and baritone or tenor-base, in order to undo the Gordian knot; a task, however, which is, unfortunately, not to be accomplished in the easy manner resorted to by the son of the Macedonian Philip. And what good can result from all this? Multum clamoris, parum lanæ! Possibly I may try my hand at it one of these days, when I have nothing of a more reasonable nature to occupy my time. At present, thank Heaven! I am not in that predicament, and it will be a tolerably long while, I suspect, before I am.