CENTURY II. 101 



179. It is also evident, that the sharper or 

 quicker percussion of air causeth the more treble 

 sound ; and the slower or heavier, the more base 

 sound. So we see in strings ; the more they are 

 ,vound up and strained, and thereby give a more 

 quick start-back, the more treble is the sound ; and 

 the slacker they are, or less wound up, the baser is 

 the sound. And therefore a bigger string more 

 strained, and a lesser string less strained, may fall 

 into the same tone. 



180. Children, women, eunuchs, have more small 

 and shrill voices than men. The reason is, not for 

 that men have greater heat, which may make the 

 voice stronger, for the strength of a voice or sound 

 doth make a difference in the loudness or softness, 

 but not in the tone, but from the dilatation of the 

 organ ; which, it is true, is likewise caused by heat. 

 But the cause of changing the voice at the years of 

 puberty, is more obscure. It seemeth to be, for that 

 when much of the moisture of the body, which did 

 before irrigate the parts, is drawn down to the sper- 

 matical vessels, it leaveth the body more hot than it 

 was ; whence cometh the dilatation of the pipes : 

 for we see plainly all effects of heats do then come 

 on ; as pilosity, more roughness of the skin, hardness 

 of the flesh, &c. 



181. The industry of the musician hath pro 

 duced two other means of straining or intension of 

 strings, besides their winding up. The one is the 

 stopping of the string with the finger ; as in the 

 necks of lutes, viols, &c. The other is the shortness 



