61 



selves with their husbands, form no objection to what has 

 been said, about tlie great sensibility of the natives of 

 warni climates. This sensibility, though it makes theui 

 fear death, makes them fear other things even worse than 

 death. This degree of sensibility made them early arrive 

 at a proficiency in the arts of music and poetry, which 

 the delicacy of their organs enabled them to practise in 

 the greatest perfection. This refinement of their organs 

 made them receive strong impressions from surrounding 

 objects: hence they excelled in music, of which they have 

 a vast number of modes or measures; and sut)lime strains 

 of descriptive and figurative poetry. It disposed them to 

 the love of pleasure, and made all their passions violent 

 in the extreme:* hence the platonism of their love poetry; 

 the ardour, the delirium, with which they describe the in- 

 toxicating sentiments of love; and the strange mysticism 

 of their religious poetry. -j- 



The influence of climate, on the arts and pursuits of a 

 people, may Ix; seen, in what ancient writers tell us of 

 the music, the poetry, and other literary compositions of 

 the ancient Greeks of Asia Minor. Nothing could be 

 more relaxing and seductive than the climate: the very 

 air seemed to diffuse the spirit of sensuality, pleasui'able 

 indulgence, and libertinism. The Lydian mode of music 

 was remarkable, for its efteminacy and fascinating power: 



love 



*, Even their religions poums adbpt.the tone of love. 

 t Sir William Jones's Works, Vol, I. " On the ^lystical Poetry of the 

 "'Persians and Hindus." 



