Royal Society. 293 
efte6l of one piece, as of the whole. 7. "When mufic was ar- 
rived to a great perfection, it was applied to particular defigns 
of exciting this or that particular affe6i:ion, paffion or temper 
of mind, its tunes and meafures being fuitably adapted to 
fuch defignsj but luch defigns feem almoft quite neglefted in 
our prefent mufic, for the chief Icope now in our moli accom- 
pli (hed muiic is to pleale the ear, when by a Iweet mixture at 
different parts and voices, with cadence and concord intermixed, 
a grateful found is produced, which the judicious mufician alone 
can difcern and diftingui/h. 8. It is true, that even this com- 
pound mufic admits of different characters ^ Ibme are more brific 
and airy, others more ledate and grave, others more languid, 
as the different lubjedts require : But that which is moil proper 
to excite particular paflions or difpofitions, is luch as is mofi: 
fimple and uncompounded 5 fuch as a nurle's languid tune, lul- 
ling her babe to lleep, or a continual reading in an even tone, or 
even the fort murmur of a little rivulet, running upon gravel or 
pebbles, incline to a quiet repole of the fpirits j and contrariwile 
the brifltnefs of ajiggon a kit or violin, excites to dance, and 
thefe are more operative towards fuch particular ends than Siji 
elaborate compofition of full mufic. 9. To conclude, if we aim 
only at pleafing the ear by a Iweet concert, no doubt but our mo- 
dern compofitions may equal, if not exceed, thole of the ancients; 
amongft which there is not found any footfteeps of what we call 
ieverai parts or voices, as i;a/e, treble^ mecin^ Sec, lung in concert, 
anfwering each other, to complete the mufic : But if we would 
have our mufic fo adjufted, as to excite particular paflions, af- 
fections or tempers of mind, as that of the ancients is fuppoled 
to have done, we rauft apply more iimple ingredients, fitted to 
the temper we would produce^ and this no doubt but a judicious 
compoler may fo effed, that without the help of luch hyperboles, 
as the ancient mufic is wont to be let ofF with, ours may be made 
to perform as great feats as any of theirs. 
u4 Roman Coffin afid other Roman Antiquities and Coins 5 hy 
Mr. Ralph Thoresby. Phil. Trarii. K° 244- P- 3 10. 
MR. Thoresby procured part of the bottom (which confifled 
of leveral pieces for the conveniency of baking) of an old 
Roman coffin, that was dug up ia their burying ground out of 
Soutbam bar at Tork-^ it is of the red clay, but not lb fine as 
the urns, having a greater quantity of the coarfe land wrought in 
with the clay j as to the form, which is entire as it was at firll 
moulded, it is 14 inches and a half long and about 11 broad at 
the 
