304 NATURAL HISTORY 
isque harmonicis, musicam illam avium: non quod 
alia quoque non delectaretur ; sed quod ex musica 
humana relinqueretur in animo continens queedam, 
attentionemque et somnum conturbans agitatio; 
dum ascensus, exscensus, tenores, ac mutationes 
illee sonorum et consonantiarum, euntque, redeunt- 
que per phantasiam: cum nihil tale relinqui possit 
ex modulationibus avium, qua, quod non sunt perin- 
de a nobis imitabiles, non possunt perinde internam 
facultatem commovere.”—GassENDUS, in Vita Pei. 
reski.* . 
This curious quotation strikes me much, by s 
well representing my own case, and by describing 
what I have so often felt, but never could so well 
express. When I hear fine music, I am haunted 
with passages therefrom night and day, and espe- 
cially at first waking, which, by their importunity, 
give me more uneasiness than pleasure: elegant 
lessons still tease my imagination, and recur irre- 
sistibly to my recollection at seasons, and even 
when | am desirous of thinking of more serious 
matters. 
* But to vocal and instrumental music he preferred that of 
birds; not from being incapable of finding delight in the other 
also, but because human music leaves in the mind a continual 
agitation, which disturbs both attention and sleep, owing to those 
risings, fallings, tenors, and variations of sounds and harmony 
passing and repassing continually through the imagination; 
whereas no such effect can be left from the modulations of birds, 
because these modulations, not being equally imitable by us, 
cannot affect our internal faculties in the same degree. 
‘ 
4 
