Volume 1: Preface; 1. Origin, and early progress of music; 2. The ancient melopoeia; 3. Disputed counterpoint of the ancients; 4. Reputed effects of the ancient music; 5. Egyptian and Hebrew music; 6. Ancient music, as connected with the Grecian mythology; 7. Musicians and poets, subsequent to Hesiod and Homer; 8. The Grecian games; 9. The ancient musical theorists, and their works; 10. Practical view of the ancient music, vocal, and instrumental; 11. Music of the ancient Romans; 12. Music of the early Christians to the time of Guido; 13. State of music from the time of Guido to the formation of the time table; 14. Invention of the time table; 15. Minstrels, troubadours, etc.; 16. General state of music, from the beginning of the fourteenth century to the time of Hambois; 17. State of music, from the time of Hambois to the invention of printing; 18. State of music, from the invention of printing to the time of Josquin del Prato; 19. Josquin del Prato; 20. State of music from the early part of the sixteenth century, to the reign of Elizabeth. Volume 2: 1. State of music in England during the reign of Elizabeth; 2. State of music in England, during the reign of Elizabeth (cont.); 3. Italian music theorists of the sixteenth century; 4. State of the Roman, Venetian, Lombard, Neapolitan, Bologna, and Florentine schools of counterpoint, during the sixteenth century; 5. German theorists of the sixteenth century; 6. Eminent musicians in England, from the reign of Elizabeth to the Protectorate; 7. Progress and specimens of secular music in England, from the reign of Elizabeth to the Protectorate; 8. State of music in England, from the Protectorate to the time of Purcell; 9. Purcell; 10. General state of music, from the time of Purcell, to the middle of the last century; 11. Establishment of the opera and oratorio in Italy; 12. Progress of the lyric drama at Venice, Naples, Rome and in Germany and France, during the last century; 13. General view of the principal Italian and German composers and performers of the last century; 14. Handel; 15. Haydn and Mozart; 16. Establishment of the Italian opera in England, and its progress, previous to the middle of the last century; 17. State of the Italian opera in England, subsequent to the middle of the last century; 18. Arne and Arnold; 19. Boyce and Batishill; 20. General state of music, in England, from the beginning of the last century to the present time.
