312 M U ! 
doubt but that mufic has the power, not only of influ¬ 
encing the mind, but of affeCting the nervous lyllem in fuch 
a manner, as will, in certain difeafes, proceed, by flow de¬ 
grees, from giving temporary relief to effecting a perfect 
cure. 
In the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences for 1707, 
and the following year, are recorded many accounts of 
difeafes, which, having obftinately refilled all the remedies 
prefcribed by the moll able of the faculty, at laft fubmitted 
to the powerful impreflion of harmony. M. de Mairan, in 
the memoirs of the fame academy, fpeaking of the medi¬ 
cinal powers of mufic, fays, that it is from the mecha¬ 
nical involuntary connexion between the organs of hear¬ 
ing and the confonances excited in the outward air, 
joined to the rapid communication of the vibrations of 
thefe organs to the whole nervous lyltem, that we owe 
the cure of fpafmodic diforders, and of fevers attended 
with a delirium and convulfions, of which the memoirs 
give many examples. Dr. Bianchini, profeffor of phylic 
at Udina, who has fearched numerous ancient authors, 
and collected all the pafl'ages relative to the medicinal 
application of mufic by Afclepiades, fays, that it was 
confidered by the Egyptians, Grecians, and Romans, 
as a remedy both in acute and chronical diforders; and he 
adds, that-he himfelf had feen it applied in.l’everal cafes 
with great effeCt. 
Dr. Mead, Buretti, Baglivi, and all the mod eminent of 
their time throughout Europe, feetned not to entertain a 
doubt but that the bite of the tarantula was to be cured 
by mufic. It has been affected, that the application of 
mufic always throws the patient into a violent ftc of 
dancing, which, bringing on a plentiful perfpiration, effeCts 
the cure. But, as to this, the evidence for and again 11 it 
will be found under the article Aranea, vol. ii. p. 32, 3. 
Cicero afferts the amazing power of mufic ; and Plato 
fuppofes that the effeCt of harmony on the mind, is equal 
to that of air on the body. Its divine influence is fully 
proved in the cure of Saul; and Alexander, the fon of 
Philip of Macedon, after having conquered the greatell 
part of the world, was himfelf fubdued by the harp of 
Timotheus. 
What is recorded, upon the beft authority, of Farinelli 
and Philip V. of Spain, is not at all diffimilar to the ac¬ 
count of David’s difpolfeffing Saul of an evil fpirit. See 
Earinelh, vol. vii. p. 217. 
The itory of Stradella, an Italian mufician, is not only 
interefting, but much to our prefent purpofe. Stradella 
was compofer to the opera at Venice ; and was very high 
in the public eitimation, both as a lingerand a performer on 
the harp. He was engaged to inltruCt a young lady of noble 
family, who, notwithftanding her illuftrious defcent, lived 
in a criminal intimacy with a Venetian nobleman. Stra¬ 
della employed his mufical powers fo effedtually, that he 
perluaded her to break her connexion with the Venetian, 
and to be the partner of his future fortune. Upon the 
difcovery of their flight, refentment fired the breall of the 
Venetian, and he immediately commiffioned two alfaffms 
to enquire their intended deltination, and to murder 
both Stradella and his millrefs, with the promil'e of a 
large reward if they lucceeded. On enquiry they heard 
they were gone to Rome, they immediately followed them, 
found that they were arrived in that city, and learnt that 
the next evening at five o’clock Stradella was to give an 
oratorio in the church of St. John of Lateran. They deter¬ 
mined to be prefent at the performance, and to execute 
their horrid delign as Stradella and his millrefs were re¬ 
tiring from the church. Stradella appeared $ the perform¬ 
ance commenced, and their attention was entirely taken 
up with the mufic, which created in them fuch wonderful 
fenfations, that it got the better of that lavage ferocity 
which by long habit was interwoven with their natures; 
they were feized with remorfe ; and, in Ihort, they defifted 
from their purpofe, and determined, inftead of taking 
away the lives of the intended victims, to ufe every en¬ 
deavour for their preferyation. As Stradella and his mif- 
I c. 
trefs were returning from church, they followed them, and, 
addreffing them in the mod refpeCtful manner, after thank¬ 
ing Stradella for the exquilite pleafure they had received 
from his mufic, they told him ot the errand they had been 
fent upon, and confefled that they went into the church 
Javagen, but that they now felt themfelves men, and found 
they were utterly incapable of carrying their defign into 
execution. They earncffly delired them to quit Rome im¬ 
mediately ; and the affaflins,on their return to Venice, told 
their employer, that Stradella and Hortentia had fled from 
Rome the morning of their arrival, and had taken refuge 
in the city of Turin, where the laws were very levere, and 
therefore they declined following them any farther. Other 
ruffians, however, “ who were not mov’d by concord of 
fweet founds,” were employed ; and Stradella and his 
millrefs were murdered not long after. 
The following melancholy fail, having been witneffed 
by a vail multitude of people, cau want" no farther con¬ 
firmation to ellablilh it. At the firll grand performance 
in commemoration of Handel, at Weftminfter-abbey, 
Mr.'Burton, a celebrated chorus-finger, well known in 
the mufical world, was, immediately upon the commence¬ 
ment of the overture of Either, fo violently agitated, that, 
after lying in a fainting-fit forfome time, he expired. At 
intervals, he was able to fpeak; and, but a few minutes 
before he drew his laft breath, declared that it was the 
wonderful effeCt of the mufic which had operated fo pow¬ 
erfully on him. Dr. Hallifax, then bilhop of Gloucefter, 
was fo greatly affected during one of the performances of 
the Meffiah, at the commemoration, that he greatly wilhed 
to quit the abbey, fearing he (hould be entirely overcome. 
But fuch cafes as thefe, though well authenticated, are 
yet to be confidered as out of the ordinary courfe of things, 
and extreme inftances of the power of harmony. Let us, 
therefore, briefly notice thole of a more common nature ; 
which by the concurrent experience and teftimony of all 
ages and nations have invariably obtained, in which har¬ 
mony has exerted her powers, and mingled her mighty 
but milder charms. And it is obvious, in the firft place, 
to remark on thefe, in a cafe of the moll tranfeendent na¬ 
ture ; which is the folemn and fublime fervices of divine 
worfhip ; in which, when employed, mufic is by way of 
eminence very properly ftyled /«ewZ. In this connexion, 
mufic was held both by ancient philofophers and legif- 
lators of fuch importance, that the regulation of it in their 
temples was prefcribed by the laws, and fubjeCl to the in- 
fpeCtion of thole who were appointed by the Hate to lu- 
perintend this important part, as it was deemed, of the 
commonwealth. And it was held equally criminal to in¬ 
novate or difturb the laws and ordinances of this part of 
religious folemnities, as to violate any other eftablifhed 
law of the Hate. 
This we learn from the high authority of Plato himfelf; 
and, when it is confidered how mufic, properly chofen 
and adapted, is calculated to loothe and tranquillize as 
well as elevate the mind, and thereby fit it in a peculiar 
manner to receive impreffions of the higher order, we fliall 
evidently perceive how well fuited this mull be to the 
folemnities of devotion, by drawing off our attention and 
affections from the prefent imperfect Hate, and railing 
them to the contemplation of divine things, the perfec¬ 
tions of the Deity, and fpiritual objerts; by which means 
a holy ardour, reverence, and love, are excited ; and the 
mind difpofed to receive with delight and joy inftruCtion 
from the oracles of God delivered in his lacred temple. 
No doubt but the mind of Milton had often experienced 
thefe effeCls of lacred mufic ; as he, in his II Penferolb, 
delcribes them in fo fweet and ecllatic a manner: 
There let the pealing organ blow 
To the full-voic’d quire below, 
In fervice high and anthems clear. 
As may with fweetnefs through mine ear 
Diilbive me into ecftalies, 
And bring all heaven before mine eyes. 
No? 
