Two
features, however, may be guessed at--viz., a tapping of the foot at
certain places, which may be inferred from the possible connection of
the word with 'Thump'; and secondly, an alternation of a slow sliding
step, interspersed with dead pauses, and a quicker movement, succeeded
again by the slow step. These last seem to be indicated by the music
of 'My Lady Carey's Dump,' part of which is given in the Appendix. The
character of the Dump has given us the modern expression of 'in the
dumps'--_i.e._, sulky; and this is also used commonly in Shakespeare.
In the next passage, Peter, Capulet's servant, speaks ironically of a
'merry' dump, and quotes verse 1 of Richard Edwards' song, 'When
griping grief.' For an account of that song see Section III., about
Songs and Singing. In Peter's quotation, the dumps are 'doleful.'
The quibbles on 'silver sound,' 'sweet sound,' 'sound for silver,' 'no
_gold_ for sounding,' are further examples of Shakespeare's fondness
for joking on musical matters. Peter's reply to the Third Musician,
'You are the singer; I will _say_ for you,' may be a just reflection
on Mr James Soundpost's lack of words, or perhaps indicates that the
pronunciation of singers even in that musical age was no better than
it is now.
The improvised names of the musicians are pointed enough; Simon
'Catling,' referring to the material of his viol strings; Hugh
'Rebeck,' the rebeck being the ancient English fiddle with three
strings.
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