B861 <=> B863 [BTG XL Heptaparaparshinokh, p. 862]

“In these mathematical explanations the following considerations were adduced:

“Now, that is to say, this same obliging Gaidoropoolo, in a certain way known to himself, calculated the number of vibrations of all the Chinese seven whole notes and began to explain that in the Chinese ‘seven-toned octave’ those whole notes called ‘mi’ and ‘si’ are not whole notes at all but only half notes, since the number of vibrations which they have almost coincides with the number of vibrations of those Greek half notes which according to the division of the Greek octave are found just between the Chinese whole notes ‘re’ and ‘fa’ and between ‘si’ and ‘do.’

“He made the further supposition that it was obviously convenient for the Chinese to have the restorial of the voice, that is, the ‘center of gravity’ of the voice also on these half notes, and therefore they divided their octave not into five whole notes like the Greeks, but into seven, and so on in this way.

“After this explanation of Mr. Gaidoropoolo, as I have already told you, all the other contemporary scientists of new formation were completely pacified, having stuck a label also on this branch of their official science.

“And now among them, this branch under the name of the ‘theory of the law of vibrations’ exists there, as our wise teacher Mullah Nassr Eddin would say, ‘in clover.’

“About the given case I still remember and willy-nilly cannot help expressing aloud that wise formulation of our always esteemed Mullah Nassr Eddin which expression he has in the following words: