Sect. XVIL 2. 2. OF MOTIONS. 147 



fenfations, as in our hourly modes of reafoning, or imagining, 

 or recollecting, we fhall gain fome idea of the innumerable cat- 

 enated trains and circles of action, which form the tenor of our 

 lives, and which began, and will only ceale entirely with them. 



2. When a young lady begins to learn mufic, me voluntarily 

 applies herfelf to the characters of her mulic-book, and by many 

 repetitions endeavours to catenate them with the proportions of 

 found, of which they are fymbols. The ideas excited by the 

 mufical charadters are flowly connected with the keys g£ the 

 harpfichord, and much effort is neceffary to produce every note 

 with the proper finger, and in its due place and time ; till at 

 length a train of voluntary exertions becomes catenated with 

 certain irritations. As the various notes by frequent repetitions 

 become connected in the order, in which they are produced, a 

 new catenation of fenfitiye exercions becomes mixed with the 

 voluntary ones above defcribed •, and not only the mufical fym- 

 bols of crotchets and quavers, but the auditory notes and tones 

 at the fame time, become fo many fucceffive or fynchronous 

 links in this circle of catenated actions. 



At length the motions of her fingers become catenated with 

 the mufical characters ; and thefe no fooner ftriice the eye, than 

 the finger preffes down the key without any voluntary attention 

 between them; the activity of the hand being connected wi 

 the irritation of the figure or place of the mufical fymbol on the 

 retina ; till at length by frequent repetitions of the fame tune the 

 movements of her fingers in playing, and the mufcles of the 

 larynx in finging, become afTociated with each other, and form 

 part of thofe intricate trains and circles of catenated motions, 

 according with the fecond article of the preceding propofitions 

 in No. 1. of this Section. 



3. Befides the facility, which by habit attends the execution 

 of this mufical performance, a curious circumftance occurs, 

 which is, that when our young mufician has begun a tune, (he 

 finds herfelf inclined to continue it j and that even when me is 

 carelefsly finging alone without attending to her own fong ; 

 according with the third preceding article. 



4. At the fame time that our young performer continues to 

 paly with great exactnefs this accuftomed tune, me can bend 

 her mind, and that intenfely, on fome other object, according 

 with the fourth article of the preceding propofitions. 



The manufcript copy of this work was lent to many of mv 

 friends at different times for the purpofe of gaining their opin- 

 ions and criticifms on many parts of it, and I found the follow- 

 ing anecdote written with a pencil oppofite to this page, but am 

 not certain by whom < f I remember feeing the pretty young 



actrefsj 



