But I shall not expatiate on these recluse Parts; only there is one special Contrivance of the Nerves, ministring to this Sense of Hearing, which must not be passed by; and that is, the Branches of one of the auditory Nerves[y], spread partly to the Muscles of the Ear, partly to the Eye, partly to the Tongue and Instruments of Speech, and inosculated with the Nerves to go to the Heart and Breast. By which Means there is an admirable, and useful Content between these Parts of the Body; it being natural for most Animals, upon the Hearing any uncouth Sound, to erect their Ears, and prepare them to catch every Sound; to open their Eyes (those constant faithful Sentinels) to stand upon their Watch; and to be ready with the Mouth to call out, or utter what the present Occasion shall dictate. And accordingly it is very usual for most Animals, when surpriz’d, and terrify’d with any Noise, presently to shriek and cry out.
But there is besides this, in Man, another great Use of this nervous Commerce between the Ear and Mouth: And that is, (as one of the best Authors on this Subject expresseth it)[z], “That the Voice may correspond with the Hearing, and be a kind of Echo thereof, that what is heard with one of the two Nerves, may be readily expressed with the Voice, by the help of the other.”
Thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the Organ. Let us,
II. Take Notice of the Object of this admirable Sense, namely, Sound; and so conclude this Chapter. I shall not here enquire into the Nature and Properties of Sound, which is in a great Measure intricate, and hath puzzelled the best Naturalists: Neither shall I shew how this admirable Effect of the divine Contrivance, may be improv’d to divers Uses[aa] and Purposes in humane Life; but my Business will be to shew that this Thing, of so admirable Use in the animal World, is the Work of God. And this will appear, let the subject Matter of Sounds be what it will; either the Atmosphere[bb] in Gross, or the ætherial Part thereof, or soniferous Particles of Bodies, as some fancy, or whatever else the Philosopher may think it. For who but an intelligent Being, what less than an omnipotent and infinitely wise God could contrive, and make such a fine Body, such a Medium, so susceptible of every Impression, that the Sense of Hearing hath occasion for, to empower all Animals to express their Sense and Meaning to others; to make known their Fears, their Wants, their Pains and Sorrows in melancholick Tones; their Joys and Pleasures in more harmonious Notes; to send their Minds at great Distances[cc], in a short Time[dd], in loud Boations; or to express their Thoughts near at hand with a gentle Voice, or in secret Whispers! And to say no more, who less than the same most wise and indulgent Creator, could form such an Oeconomy, as that of Melody and Musick is! That the Medium should (as I said) so readily receive every Impression of Sound, and convey the melodious Vibration of every musical String, the harmonious Pulses of every animal Voice, and of every musical Pipe; and the Ear be as well adapted, and ready to receive all these Impressions, as the Medium to convey them: And lastly, that by Means of the curious Lodgment, and Inosculations of the auditory Nerves before-mentioned, the Orgasms of the Spirits should be allay’d, and Perturbations of the Mind, in a great Measure quieted and stilled[ee]: Or to express it in the Words of the last-cited famous Author[ff], “That Musick should not only affect the Fancy with Delight; but also give Relief to the Grief and Sadness of the Heart; yea, appease all those turbulent Passions, which are excited in the Breast by an immoderate Ferment, and Fluctuation of the Blood”.
And now, who can reflect upon all this curious Apparatus of the Sense of Hearing, and not give the great Creator his due Praise! Who can survey all this admirable Work, and not as readily own it to be the Work of an omnipotent, and infinitely wise and good GOD[gg], as the most artful Melodies we hear, are the Voice or Performances of a living Creature!
FOOTNOTES:
[a] I presume it will not be ungrateful to take notice here of the admirable, as well as useful Sagacity of some deaf Persons, that have learnt to supply their want of Hearing by understanding what is said by the Motion of the Lips. My very ingenious Friend Mr. Waller, R. S. Secr. gives this Account, There live now and have from their Birth, in our Town, a Man and his Sister, each about fifty Years old, neither of which have the least Sense of Hearing,——yet both of these know, by the Motion of the Lips only, whatever is said to them, and will answer pertinently to the Question proposed to them——The Mother told me they could hear very well, and speak when they were Children, but both lost that Sense afterwards, which makes them retain their Speech; though that, to Persons not used to them, is a little uncouth and odd, but intelligible enough. Phil. Trans. No. 312.
Such another Instance is that of Mr. Goddy, Minister of St. Gervais in Geneva, his Daughter. She is now about sixteen Years old. Her Nurse had an extraordinary Thickness of Hearing; at a Year old, the Child spake all those little Words that Children begin to speak at that Age.——At two Years old, they perceived she had lost her Hearing, and was so Deaf, that ever since, though she hears great Noises, yet she hears nothing that one can speak to her.——But by observing the Motions of the Mouth and Lips of others, she hath acquired so many Words, that out of these she hath formed a sort of Jargon, in which she can hold Conversation whole Days with those that can speak her own Language. I could understand some of her Words, but could not comprehend a Period, for it seemed to be but a confused Noise. She knows nothing that is said to her, unless she seeth the Motion of their Mouths that speak to her; so that in the Night, when it is necessary to speak to her, they must light a Candle. Only one thing appeared the strangest part of the whole Narration: She hath a Sister, with whom she hath practised her Language more than with any other: And in the Night, by laying her Hand on her Sister’s Mouth, she can perceive by that what she saith, and so can discourse with her in the Night. Bishop Burnet’s Let. 4. p. 248.