Note 97 — CHAP. XVIII. (continued 2)
Reading edition
From this passage, however, we discover the etymology of the Latin term for musical expression. Every one being sensible that there is no music in a continued sound; the first inquiries were probably carried no farther, than that to produce a musical expression, a number of sounds is necessary; and musical expression obtained the name of numerus, before it was clearly ascertained, that variety is necessary as well as number.