The division of the octave into twelve semitones, and the transposition of scales have also been discovered by this intelligent and skilful nation. But, generally speaking, both the Gaels and the Chinese, notwithstanding their acquaintance with the modern tonal system, hold fast by the old. And it cannot be denied that by avoiding the semitones [Illustration: GAUGUIN Portrait of Self] [Illustration: GAUGUIN Farmyard] of the diatonic scale, Scotch airs receive a peculiarly bright and mobile character, although we cannot say as much for the Chinese.[55] While we are content with a scale divided into semitones, the more delicate oriental ear requires _quarter_ tones. The Arab octave is divided into _twenty-four_ intervals. A distinguished musician on a visit to Cairo wrote Helmholtz as follows: “This evening I have listened attentively to the song on the minarets, to try to appreciate the _quarter-tones_ which I had not supposed to exist, as I had thought the Arabs sang _out of tune_. But today as I was with the dervishes I became certain that such quarter-tones existed.[56] In discussing the development of our modern, _equal_ temperament (adopted commercially in England for pianos not until 1846), Helmholtz says, “Amiot reports equal temperament from China long previously even to Pythagoras.”[57] The Chinese are the only people who, thousands of years ago, possessed a system of octaves, a circle of fifths, and a normal tone. With this knowledge, however, their eighty-four scales, _each of which has a special philosophical signification_, appear all the more incomprehensible to us.[58] “The Chinese believe their music to be the first in the world. _European music_ they consider to be _barbaric_ and _horrible_.”[59] * * * * * All this goes to show how hazardous it is to jump to the conclusion that what we don’t understand has no meaning. To one ignorant of Chinese or Japanese or Hebrew handwriting it seems just as absurd and meaningless as a drawing by Picasso or a painting by Kandinsky, but to the earnest and indefatigable searcher after hidden meanings the strange handwriting and the strange pictures both deliver up a message. * * * * * Of such paintings as Kandinsky’s improvisations it is often flippantly said, “They paint that way because they can’t draw.” As a matter of fact most of the extreme moderns such as Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, are past-masters of the art of drawing. But they do not now attach the importance to drawing, merely for the sake of drawing, they once did. Kandinsky’s own attitude is expressed in the following extract from a letter: