i43 CATENATION Sect. XVII. i. e/ 



a£tref?, who fucceeded Mrs. Arne in the performance of the 

 celebrated Padlock, rehearfe the mufical parts at her harpfichord 

 under the eye of her mailer with great taite and accuracy \ 

 though I obferved her countenance full of emotion, which I 

 coulcl not account for ; at laft me fuddenly burll into tears ; for 

 {he had all this time been eyeing a beloved canary bird, fufFer- 

 ing great agonies, which at that inftant fell dead from its perch." 



5. At the fame time many other catenated circles of action 

 are going on in the perfon of our fair mufician, as well as the 

 motions of her fingers, fuch as the vital motions, refpiration, the 

 movements of her eyes and eyelids, and of the intricate mufcles 

 of vocality, according with the fifth preceding article. 



6. If by any ftrong impreffion on the mind of our fair mufi- 

 cian (he mould be interrupted for a very inconfiderable time, (he 

 can (fill continue her performance, according to the fixth article. 



7. If however this interruption be greater, though the chain I 

 of actions be not diffevered, it proceeds confufedly, and our 

 voung performer continues indeed to play, but in a hurry with- 

 out accuracy and elegance, till (he begins the tune again, accord- 

 ing to the feventh of the preceding articles. 



8. But if this interruption be {till greater, the circle of ac- 

 tions becomes entirely diffevered, and flie finds herfelf immedi- 

 ately under the neceflity to begin over again to recover the loft 

 catenation, according to the eighth preceding article. 



9. Or in trying to recover it (he will fing fome diflbnant notes, 

 or itrike fome improper keys, according to the ninth preceding 

 article. 



10. A very remarkable tiling attends this breach of catena- 

 tion, if the performer has forgotten fome word of her long, the 

 more energy of mmd fhe ufes about it, the more diftant is fhe 

 from regaining it ; and artfully employs her mind in part on 

 fome other object, or endeavours to dull its perceptions, contin- 

 uing to repeat as it were inconfeioufly, the former part of the 

 fong, that fhe remembers, in hopes to regain the loft connexion. 



For if the activity of the mind itfelf be more energetic, or 

 take? its attention more, than the connecting word, which is 

 wanted ; it will not perceive the (lighter link of this loft word ; 

 as who Mens to a feeble found, muft be very filent and mo- 

 tionlefs ; fo that in this cafe the very vigour of th# mind itfelf 

 feems to prevent it from regaining the loft catenation, as well as 

 the too great exertion in endeavouring to regain it, according to 

 the tenth preceding article. 



We frequently experience, when we are doubtful about the 

 fpelling of a word, that the greater voluntary exertion we ufe, 

 that is the more intenfely we think about it, the further are we 



from 



