164 A NATURAL HISTORY 



THE Ant tents hdvbrg related izcnderfnl Things done by Miifick 

 in their days^ by which Difeafes u-ere fi/Jpendedy the Sick reftored . . . 

 I JJjall make a (loort Inquiry into the Reafons of it. Tho the B.e- 

 port be jlrange^ and in Jbme degree hyperbolical^ yet Jonie Account 

 7nay be given of the furprizing Effecis of Mufck^ aiid is attempted 

 by the learned Dr. /F/7/zj, (among others; ) a Hint of which 1 

 fliall add here, to what was obierved before upon the Subject. 



REASON S (or rather Conjectures) for Medicinal Cures 



by MUSICIC 



I. ri^HAT Mufick, if not new, was in thofe Days a rare 

 JL thing, which the Vulgar, on wliom 'iis reported to 

 have mighty Effevfls, had fcarce heard anv before, and on whom 

 a little MufiCxk will do great Feats, as we now find a Bag-pipe at 

 a Morris-Dance, 



II. An T I E N T Mufick was much more fimple and plain than 

 ours now, having only one finglc Voice or Infirument apart, 

 which to a rude Ear is much more taking, than compound Mu- 

 lick 5 the former not exceeding their Capacity, whereas a Concert 

 of Mufick confounds them quite, and 'tis by no means diftin- 

 guifhable by them, fo as to affect iliem with the Harmony of its 

 Parts. 



III. M u s I c K, with the Antients, was of a much larger Ex- 

 tent than what we now call by that Name ; for Poetry, and 

 Dancing or graceful Motion, were then counted part of Mufick, 

 when it had arrived to fome degree of Perfedlion : And we fee 

 that Vejfe alone, if in good Meafure and jnoving Words^ fung by 

 an agreeable Voice, with foft inftrumental Mufick, will work 

 ilrangely on the Ear, and move all Affeiftions fuitable to the Tune 

 and Ditty . . . efpecially if attended \m\\\\ proper Geflures and Ani- 

 ons Thus fuitable Ading on the Stage, gives great Life to 



the Words *. 



If 



* Leiiithorp's Abri 'g. vol. i. p. 618. 



