i j 6 OF INSTINCT. SECT. XVI. i o. r . 



and then they gradually began to imitate them, but in a ftrange 

 manner at firft, as if they were learning a thing that was not 

 natural to them," (Voyage to South America by Don G. Juan, 

 and Don Ant. de Ulloa. B. 2. c. 4). 



Linnaeus alfo obferves, that the dogs of South America do not 

 bark at ftrangers, (Syft. Nat. ) And the European dogs, that 

 have been carried to Guinea, are faid in three or four genera- 

 tions to ceafe to bark, and only howl, like the dogs that are na- 

 tives of thatcoaft, (World Difplayed, Vol. XVII. p. 26.) 



A circumflance not difiimilar to this, and equally curious, is 

 mentioned by Kircherus de Mufurgia, in his Chapter de Luf~ 

 ciniis. " That the young nightingales that are hatched under 

 other birds, never fing till they are inftru&ed by the company of 

 other nightingales." And Jonfton affirms, that the nightingales 

 that vifit Scotland, have not the fame harmony as thofe of Italy, 

 (Pennant's Zoology, oftavo, p. 255) ; which would lead us to 

 fufpecl: that the finging of birds, like human mufic, is an arti- 

 ficial language, rather than a natural exprefiion of paflion. 



X. Our mufic like our language, is perhaps entirely conftitui 

 ted of artificial tones, which by habit fuggeft certain agreeable 

 paflions. For the fame combination of notes and tones do not 

 excite devotion, love, or poetic melancholy in a native of Indof- 

 tan and of Europe. And " the Highlander has the fame war- 

 like ideas annexed to the found of a bagpipe (an inftrument 

 which an Englifhman derides), as the Englimman has to that of 

 a trumpet or fife." (Dr. Brown's Union of Poetry and Mufic, 

 p. 58.) So " the mufic of the Turks is very different from the 

 Italian, and the people of Fez and Morocco have again a differ- 

 ent kind, which to us appears very rough and horrid, but is 

 highly pleafing to them," (L'Arte Armonica a Giorgio Antoni- 

 otto). Hence we fee why the Italian opera does not dalightan 

 untutored Englifhman ; and why thofe who are unaccuftomed 

 to mufic, are more pleafed with a tune the fecond or third time 

 they hear it than the firft. For then the fame melodious train 

 of founds excites the melancholy, they had learned from the 

 fong ; or the fame vivid combination of them recals all the 

 mirthful ideas of the dance and company. 



Even the founds, that were once difagreeable to us, may by 

 habit be affociated with other ideas, fo as to become agreeable. 

 Father Lafitau, in his account of the Iroquois, fays the mufic 

 and dance of thofe Americans have fomething in them extremely 

 barbarous, which at firft difgufts. We grow reconciled to them 

 by degrees, and in the end partake of them with pleafure : the 

 favages themfelves are fond of them to diftraftion." (Mceurs 

 des Savages, Tom, ii.) 



There 



