2go REPETITION Sect. XXII. 2. i. 



agreeable to our ears ; and therefore this pleafurable fenfation 

 aiuft be owing to the repetition of the divifions of the founds at 

 certain intervals of time, or mufical bars. Whether thefe times 

 or bars are diftbguiihed by a paufe, or by an emphafis, or accent, 

 certain it is, that this diftinction is perpetually repeated ; other- 

 wife the ear could not determine inftantly, whether the fuccef- 

 fions of found were in common or in triple time. In common 

 time there is a divifion between every two crotchets, or other 

 notes of equivalent time ; though the bar in written mufic is put 

 after every fourth crotchet, or notes equivalent in time •, in triple 

 time the divifion or bar is after every three crotchets or notes equiv- 

 alent -, fo that in common time the repetition recurs more fre- 

 quently than in triple time. The grave or heroic verfes of the 

 Greek and Latin poets are written in common time ; the French 

 heroic verfes, and Mr. Anftie's humorous verfes in his Bath 

 Guide, are written in the fame time as the Greek and Latin 

 fes, but are one bar fhorter. The Englifh grave or heroic 

 verfes are mcafured by triple time, as Mr. Pope's tranflation of 

 Homer. 



But befides thefe little circles of mufical time, there are the 

 greater returning periods, and the ftill more diltant chorufTes, 

 which, like the rhimes at the ends of verfes, owe their beauty 

 to repetition ; that is, to the facility and dillinctnefs with which 

 we perceive founds, which we expect to perceive, or have 

 perceived before ; or, in the language of this work, to the great- 

 er eafe and energy with which our organ is excited by the com- 

 bined fenforial powers of aflbciation and irritation, than by the 

 latter fingly. 



A certain uniformity or repetition of parts enters the very com- 

 pofition of harmony. Thus two octaves nearcit to each other 

 in the icale commence their vibrations together after every fec- 

 ond vibration of the higher tone. And where the firit, third, 

 and fifth cempofe a chord the vibrations concur or coincide fre- 

 quently, though lefs fo than in the two octaves. It is probable 

 : thefe chords bear Come analogy to a mixture of three alter- 

 nate colours in the fun's fpectrum feparated by a prifm. 



The pleafure we receive from a melodious iucceflion of notes 



ref< to the gamut is derived from another fource, viz. to the. 



■1 or counteraction of antagonist, fibres. SeeBotan- 



1, P. 2. Interlude 3. If to thefe be added our early af- 



i of agreeable ideas with certain proportions of found, 



I fupp , from thefe three fources fpring all the delight of rau- 



d by ancient authors, and fo enthufialtically cu)- 



Sect;. XVI. No. 10. on Inftina. 



d of pleafure arifini* from repetition, that is from the 



facility 



