Century III. 



Experiments 

 in Conforr, 

 touching the 

 Spiritual! ind 

 Fine Nature 

 of Sounds. 

 287 



288 



There be thefe Differences (in generali) by which Sounds are 

 divided, tl Muficall-, mmu$caU 2* Treble, Bafe; 3. Flat-> Sharpe^ 

 4. Soft , Loud ; 5. Exteriour, Interiour >, 6, Clean, Har/b ox Purling y 

 7, Articulate, Inarticulate* 



We have laboured(as may appear )in this Inauifition of Sounds^ 

 diligently ; Both becaufe Soundh one of the moft Hidden Porti- 

 ons of Nature, (aswc (aid in the beginning:) And becaufe itisa 

 S Venue which may be called Incorporeal, and lmmateriate.\ where- 

 of there be in Nature but few. Befides, we were willing,(now in 

 thefe our firft Centuries,) to make a Patterne or Preiident ofani 



G 2 Exatti 



2S9 



tome of the Pallate towards the Throat. Whereby it appeareth manifeftly, 

 that a Sound in the Mouth, except fuch as aforefaid, if the Mouth be flopped, 

 paiTeth from the Vallate through the Noftrills. 



THe Repercufion oi Sounds, (which we call Eccho,) is a great Argument 

 of the Spiritual! Efjence of Sounds. For if it were C or pore all ,the Reper- 

 cufling ihouid be created in the fame manner, and by like Inftruments, with 

 the Original! Sound: But we fee what a Number of Exquifite Inftruments 

 muft concurre in Speaking of Words, whereof there is no fuch Matter in 

 the Returning of them $ But only a plain Stop, and Repercuftion. 



The Exquifite Differences of Articulate Sounds, carried along in the Air, 

 (hew that they cannot be Signatures or Impreftior.s in the Air, as hath been 

 well refuted by the Ancients. For it is true, that Seals make excellent Im- 

 preffions.- And fo it may be thought of Sounds in their firft Generation : j 

 But then the Delation and Continuance of them without any new Sealing, / 

 mew apparently they cannot be Impreftions. 



All Sounds are fuddenly made, and do fuddenly perifh h But neither that, 

 nor the Exquifite Differences of thenys Matter of lb great Admiration ; For 

 the Quaverings, and Warblings in Lutes, and Pipes, are as fwift • And the 

 Tongue, (which is no very fine Inftrument,) doth in Speech, make no fewer 

 Motions, than there be Letters in all the Words, which are uttered. But 

 that Souuds fhould not only be fo fpeedily generated, but carried fo farre 

 every way in fuch a momentany time, deferveth more Admiration. As for 

 Example 5 If a Man ftand in the Middle of a Field, and fpeak aloud, he (hall 

 be heard a Furlong in round 5 And that fhall be in Articulate Sounds | And 

 thofelhall be Entire in every little Portion of the Air 5 And this fhall be 

 done in the Space of Iefs than a Minute. 



The Sudden Generation and Perijhing of Sounds, muff be one of thefe two 

 Waves. Either that the Air fuffereth fome Force by Sound, and then refto- 

 rethitfelf-, As Water doth Which being divided, maketh many Cir- 

 cles,tillit reftoreitfelf to the naturall Confiftence: Orotherwife, that the 

 Air doth willingly imbibe the Sonnd as gratefull, but cannot maintain it • 

 for that the Air hath (as it fliould feeme) a fecret and hidden Appetite of 

 j Receiving the Sound at the firft-, But then other Grofs and more Materiate 

 Qualities^of the Air ftraightwaies fuffocate it-, Like unto Flame, which, 

 is generated with Alacrity, but ftraight quenched by the Enmity of the Air, \ 

 or other Ambient Bodies. 



2pO 



