[326]. Quibusdam viperarum morsibus cantus tibiarum aut fidicinum atque alia organa artis musicæ modulare adhibita aptissimè mederi. Alexander ab Alexand. ... Genialium, lib. ii. cap. xvii. p. 81. The Title is, Quod Theophrastus sensit quibusdam Viperarum morsibus tibicines mederi, probatum experimentum. Baglivi Dissert. i. de Tarent. cap. xiii.
[327]. De Legibus.
The Pythagoreans, to appease the Troubles of the Mind, lulled themselves asleep by Tunes upon the Harp: Thus Homer brings in Achilles relieving his Melancholy by playing on his Lute, and mitigating his Anger against Agamemnon by Musick, which he had learned of Chiron. Asclepiades, a Roman Physician of great Reputation, is said to heal frantic Melancholy, and mad People, by vocal and instrumental Musick[[328]]. The learned Neapolitan adds, Tanta hominis naturæ cum harmonia consensio est.
[328]. Qui Phreneticos mente imminuta, & valetudine animi affectos, nulla re magis quam symphonia, & vocum concentu, & modulis resipiscere, & sanitati restitui censuit. Alex. ab Alex. lib. ii. cap. xvii. p. 81.
Whatever be the Cause of it, there is nothing more powerful than Musick for moving the human Passions, making some pensive and melancholy, others brisk and lively. The truth is, says the Learned Wallis, we can match most of the antient Stories of this kind in the modern Histories. e. g.
If Timotheus could excite Alexander’s Fury with the Phrygian Mood, and sooth him into Indolence with the Lydian, a more modern Musician is said to have driven Eric King of Denmark, into such a Rage, as to kill his best Servants. The Occasion was thus—The King willing to make Trial in his own Person, whether a Musician spoke true, who boasted, that by virtue of his Musick, he could make People mad: The Artist play’d, and the King became outragious, and experienced the Truth of it so thoroughly, that in the Excess of his Rage, he kill’d some of his best Friends[[329]].
[329]. Father Regnault’s Convers. from Repub. des Let. p. 264.
This may be owing to the Impression made by the Vibrations of the Air, being carried as far as the Origin of the Nerves, passes into the Soul, and puts the animal Spirits into a rapid Motion, determines them to run into different Nerves, diffused thro’ different Parts of the Body, and is communicated to those Nerves, according as it finds them more or less in Unison.... Hence the Passions and Madness itself. Ibid.
In Musick are different Tastes, which seems to proceed from the different Constitutions of the Fibres or the animal Spirits: The Fibres of the auditory Nerves are differently disposed in different Persons, and in the same Person at diverse Times; but generally speaking, Musick inspires more pleasing Sentiments, e. g.
A certain famous French Physician being ill, fell into a violent Delirium, after some Days Illness of a continued Fever: the third Day of his Delirium, I know not by what Instinct, (says the Learned Father Regnault) made him desire a Concert of Musick; upon which, they play’d, and sung to him the Songs of M. Bernier[[330]]: Scarcely had he heard the first Notes, but his Eyes were calm; a Serenity was spread all over his Countenance, the Convulsions ceased, and he wept thro’ Excess of Pleasure; he was free from his Fever all the time of the Concert, but whenever they ceased singing, he relapsed into his former Condition: They fail’d not to continue so marvellous a Remedy, which always suspended his Indisposition. In short, after ten Days musical Entertainment, he was restored to his former Health. Ibid.