VOL. XX.l PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 305 



To Gild Gold upon Silver. By the same. N° 243, p. 296. 



Beat a dacat thin, and dissolve it in 2 oz. of aqua regia ; then dip a clean rag 

 in it, and let the same dry : and do it again and again, till all the liquor be 

 soaked up ; then burn the rag, and with the tinder of it let silver be rubbed, 

 using a little spittle with it, and if by chance the silver will not take, then hold 

 it to the fire to take away all manner of grease, and it will not fail. 



Concerning the strange Effects reported of Music in former Times, beyond what 

 is to le found in later Ages. By Dr. IVallis. N°243, p. 207. 



I take it for granted, that much of the reports, concerning the great effects 

 of music in ancient times, are highly hyperbolical, and next door to fabulous; 

 so that great abatements must be made from their elegies. We must consider, 

 that music to any tolerable degree was then, if not a new, at least a rare thing, 

 which the rustics, on whom it is reported to have had such extraordinary effects, 

 had never heard before : and on such, a little music will do great feats, as we 

 find at this day a fiddle or a bagpipe at a country morrice-dance. 



We are to consider, that their music, even after it came to some degree of 

 perfection, was more plain and simple than ours now a-days. They had no 

 concerts of two, three, four, or more parts or voices : but one single voice, or 

 single instrument, which, to a rude ear, is much more pleasing than more 

 compounded music. For that is at a pitch not above their capacity ; whereas 

 this other confounds them, as it were with a great and indistinct noise. 



We are to consider, that music with the ancients was of a larger extent than 

 what we call music now. For poetry, and dancing or a comely motion, were 

 then accounted parts of music, when this arrived to some perfection. Now we 

 know that verse of itself, if in good measure and affectionate language, and set 

 to a musical tune, and sung by a good voice, and accompanied witli soft in- 

 strumental music, such as not to drown the emphatic expressions, like what we 

 call recitative-music, will work strangely on the ear, and move all the affections 

 suitable to the tune and ditty ; whether brisk and pleasant, or soft and pitiful, 

 or fierce and angry, or moderate and sedate ; especially if attended with a suit- 

 able gesture and action. Now all these together, which were all ingredients in 

 what they called music, must needs operate strongly on the fancies and affec- 

 tions of ordinary people, unacquainted with such kind of entertainments. For, 

 if the deliberate reading of a well written romance will produce mirth, tears, 

 joy, grief, pity, wrath, or indignation, much more would it do so, if accom- 

 panied with all these circumstances. 



VOL. IV. Rr 



