The philosphical and physical opinions written by Her Excellency the Lady Marchionesse of Newcastle.

Chap. 207. The sympathies and antipathies of sound to the minde and actions.

THe bottome hole in the eare is covered with a thin caule, or felme, which is called the drum of the ear, where those motions that enter in at the ear beat thereon, like unto drum∣sticks, and if the felm, or thin skin, be stretched smooth, or braced straight with the nervous strings, the sound is clear and loud, but if it be weakly braced, and the nervous strings loose, and the thin skin slack, the sound is low and dull, by reason that

skin is so soft by the slackness, that the beating, or striking, or playing motion thereon cannot rebound, or retort, but sinks, and is smothered therein; and if it be stretched very hard, and thin, and then such motions enter the ear, which pierce, or cut sharp, such as we call shrill notes, it doth not onely desturb the natural motion in the brain, but many times breaks that skin, or at least puts it to pain; likewise if those motions that enter in at the ear, move crosse to the natural motions in the brain, it causeth pain in the head; likewise if one and the same notes are often repeated, it fills the head so full of this particular motion, as they over-power the natural motions therein; and as I may* 1.1 say, cause a surfeit thereof in the brain, being glutted therewith, tiring not onely the sensitive part os the brain, which causeth pain or diseases, but oppresseth the rational part of innate mat∣ter in the brain, causing a hate thereto; and if the vocal, or verbal sound are crossed, as by the way of antipathy, it may dis∣order both the sensitive, and rational innated matter in the brain, so much by striking or pressing into, and by barring and throng∣ing out, as the sense, and reason are so disordered, as the natu∣ral government is absolutely overthrown, from whence proceeds madness, at least extravagant passions raised from the heart; the like disorder both in the head, and heart, may proceed from each of the senses; and as this or the like external objects, or subjects may disorder by the irregular, and antipathetical motions the health and understanding, which are the interiour motions, so regularity and sympathie of the verbal or vocal motions brought through the ear, may compose the differences, and disorder of the natural interior motions, as health, reason, understanding, affection, or reconcilement; as for example, a timely, kinde, discreet discourse, may compose a disquiet mind, for the motions of wise, sober, kinde, gentle, or eloquent words may turn the motion of troubled & combustible, or extravagant thoughts into a smooth, and calm temper, or regular order; Likewise un∣kinde, and indiscreet, double, false, malicious, hasty, sudden, sad, or frightful discourses, may discompose, and disorder a quiet and well tempered minde, disordering the regular motions, by misplacing the thoughts, making a war in the minde, giving strength to some thoughts, and overpowring others.

The like with vocal sounds; as for musick, the notes in musick agree with the motions of passions, and the motions of several thoughts, as some notes sympathize with passions, and with the se∣veral thoughts, and move the actions accordingly, so others dis∣compose the minde, and inveterat and disturb it; for slow, sought strains on the tenor, and bass, is as commending, extorting, exci∣ting, threatning, terrifying, judging, which moves the minde to melancholy, from whence proceeds fear, superstition, devotion, repenting, praying, and vowing, which causeth an humble sub∣mission, dejected countenance, weeping eys, heaved up hands, and bended knees.

And slow soft notes, onely on the tenors, are a sad relation, sorrowful laments, mournful complaints, pleadings, petitioning, acknowledging faults, begging pardon, imploring mercy, which moves the minde to a tender pitty and compassion, and a chari∣table love, from whence proceeds a listning ear, a helping hand, a serious countenance, a sad eye, with a favouring cast therefrom.

High, hard, sharp, notes or straines, on the basse or tenor, is like exclaiming, incouraging, or animating, extolling, promi∣sing; which moves the minde to pride, ambition, vain-glory, desire, hope, which makes the body active, the actions adven∣trous, bold, the eyes darting and quick.

Low, sharp straines, and cross notes, and unequal times, move the minde to murmur words, choler, hate, revenge, fury, despair, the cursing, their hands tearing, the legs stamping, their bodies turning several wayes, their countenance maskerd and gastly, and the eyes staring.

But quick sharp straines in tenor notes, and soft slow strains on treble notes, are as perswading, flattering, insinuating, pro∣fessing, inviting, alluring, this moves the minde to love, the thoughts to be amorous; this makes their actions affective, kis∣sing their hands, making of leggs, mending their garments, of∣fering their service, their words complemental, their counte∣nance smiling, and their eyes glancing.

And quick sharp strains, on the tenor, and treble notes, produce a cheerful minde, it makes the thoughts lively, the countenance pleasant, their eyes quick, their discourse wanton, and jesting, their actions laughing, singing, playing, and dancing.

But slow low flats strike on the basses, and tenor notes moves the minde to a dull stupidity, wherein the thoughts lie as dead, this makes the body appear like sensless statues of stone, without motion, the head bending down, the eyes fixt to the ground.

But Cramatick musick is like Schools disputation, and discord in musick, is like quarrelling, these are the grounds of musical discourses, or discourses in musick.

Musick hath a sympathie to the rational motions, because the rational spirits move in number and measure, as musical instru∣ments do.

Thus as notes are set, the thoughts are placed, and as the notes change in several tunes, so the thoughts move in several passions, and as notes are composed, so are thoughts, as sem∣brim of thoughts, a full note is a fixt thought.

Thus according as the notes and thoughts agree, the minde, and musick makes a harmony, if I have not matched my strains 〈◊〉〈◊〉 notes, with words and thoughts properly, let those that un∣derstand musick, and Rhetorick mend it, for I understand neither, having neither fed at the full table, nor drank at the full head of learning, but lived alwayes upon scattered crums,

which I pick up here and there, and like a poor lasie begger, that had rather feed on scraps then work, or be industrious to get wealth, so I had rather write by guesse, then take the pains to learn every nice distinction.

And if my book will not please the learned, yet it may please the vulgar, whose capacity can onely dig in the earth, being not able to reach the celestial Orbs by speculation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  We may hear a tune so of∣ten repeated; that it may grow hateful; although de∣lightful at first.