Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	blood_n	body_n	part_n	8,155	5	4.9083	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60946	Musica incantans, or, The power of music written originally in Latin by Dr. South, translated ; with a preface concerning the natural effects of musick upon the mind.	South, Robert, 1634-1716.	1700 (1700)	Wing S4737; ESTC R37974	10,069	30

Understood and Practic'd than it was in their Time But it must be supposed that while they neglected this Part of Musick they might improve their Art to a greater Influence over the Fancy by a long Study and Practice in the several Kinds of Musick And this will appear more Probable if we consider that the Chromatic and Enharmonic Kinds which are not much us'd by Modern Musicians seem to be adapted to affect the Imagination with greater Force and Efficacy than the Diatonic Genus which is now chiefly practic'd And Dr. Holder in his Treatise concerning the Natural Grounds and Principles of Harmony confirms the same Opinion in these Words This way of theirs seems to be more proper by the Elaborate Curiosity and Nicety of Contrivance of Degrees and by Measures rather than by Harmonious Consonancy and by long study'd Performance to make great Impressions upon the Fancy and Operate accordingly as some Histories relate Ours more sedately affects the Understanding and Judgment from the Judicious contrivance and happy Composition of Melodius Consort The One quietly but powerfully affects the Intellect by true Harmony The Other chiefly by the Rythmus violently attacks and hurries the Imagination Having thus considered the Art of Musick in General if we inquire into the Nature and Properties of Sounds we may with greater Certainty guess their Effects That they Cure the Sting of the Tarantula is a Truth so generally receiv'd and confirm'd by several Persons that have been Eye-Witnesses of it in some parts of Italy That it may be no unworthy Employment of our Thoughts to enquire into the manner of this their Operation And in the first place we may reasonably suppose that this Malady does partly proceed from a great Effervescence of the Animal Spirits of the Insect actuated by a Violent Intention as it is in Mad Dogs and Communicated by the Sting to the Patient Secondly by the Effects we may perceive that the Poyson receiv'd chiefly affects the Spirits the Symptom discover'd being only a Frenzy And lastly considering the Quantity of the Poysonous Matter compar'd to that of the whole Mass of Blood we may conclude that It is neither proportion'd nor qualified to Disorder any thing but the Animal Spirits and that this Disorder as in all other Fermentations chiefly consists in a too Violent and Preternatural Motion Now if Musick Cures this Distemper by Actuating the Spirits so as to oppose the Incursion of the Poyson It may be as it is in Women in a longing Condition when the Imagination directs the Animal Spirits to collect and compose out of the Blood of the Parent such Particles as come nearest to the Thing long'd for in outward appearance the Imagination always acting according to the Sense that informs it these Particles being thus muster'd up to supply the Foetus with what Nature seems to Want they are fix'd by the Spirits and Mark the same Part of the Child's Body as the Mother chances first to think of or touch of her own this Accident determining and directing the Operation of the Spirits by the resemblance of the Parts to the Imagination And thus possibly Musical Sounds may strengthen and empower the Imagination to employ the Spirits so as to gather out of the Blood such Principles as may resist and oppose the Contagion But since we suppos'd that the Sting of the Tarantula only causes an extraordinary commotion of the Animal Spirits it seems most probable that Musick by such an Influence as that whereby it inclines us to Sadness may be adapted to allay or restrain that unnatural Effervescence till Nature has disperst or wrought off the Fermentative Matter and thus it seems most reasonable to believe that the Cure of the Bite of the Tarantula is effected Now from this Consideration of Musical Sounds we may infer that they may be also capable of producing contrary Effects For if They can thus allay and moderate the Motion of the Spirits when in a high Frenzy 't is equally probable that by contrary measures they may excite Them to as great a Distraction Nay the Musick of the Antients as we have before represented it seems more adapted to Cause than to Cure Madness not only upon the Account of its Variety but even from our own Observation that the sprightly Air more powerfully elevates the Spirits than the Grave Composition depresses and restrains Their Motion And it may appear an unreasonable Suspicion to distrust the Concurring Testimony of Antient Authors concerning the Wonderful Operation of Musick upon the Mind if we reflect upon the Exquisiteness of the Sense which it affects For the Objects of the Visive Faculty are so Imaginary and Intellectual that they produce in us rather a Perception than a Sensation and on the other Hand the Inferiour Senses are Gross and Material whereas Harmonious Sounds Act with greater and Nobler Force upon the Ear for Insinuating themselves into the Affections by co-operating with the Motions of the Animal Spirits they gain a great Influence both over Soul and Body Thus we have taken a short and Transient View of the Natural Effects of Musick upon the Mind as far as might be pertinent to our present Purpose as well for the Curiosity of the Subject as to advance the following Poem by making the Fiction appear more Probable ERRATA PRef p. 3. l. 23. read Stupefaction Po. p. 2. l. 12. r. Loves l. 19. r. Night the Day p. 7. l. 9. r. his Eyes Musica Incantans OR The POWER of MUSICK The ARGUMENT A Young Man having at his own Request heard a Performance in MUSICK growing thereby Distracted drowns himself in the Sea The Musician thereupon Apprehended and Accused of Homicide undertakes to Plead Defends himself and is Acquitted NO Royal Fight No Hero's conquering Arms But nobler Vict'ries by Harmonious Charms We Sing Th 〈…〉 od that animates the Lyre Will our bold Song in its just Praise inspire But what nice Hand can Sounds pretend to paint And to our Eyes soft Ecchos represent On some great Themes did Antient Poets wish An Hundred Voices to inform on This As many Ears and Tongues we want t' express A Song like Musick justly various A Lyrist in Arcadia liv'd so skill'd His Fame and Musick all the Country fill'd Him some great Neighbours Nuptial Feast invites With other Youth to celebrate the Rites The mirthful Entertainments to pertake And the Reward of Those his Art could make Such was their Custom Thus the Nuptial Ioys The Muse tho still a Virgin love to Solemnize And should she not assist the Festival Of Love and Wine would soon grow Dull and pall And who but Lyrists should those Rites attend Whose Art o're Birds and Beasts has such Command That they the Treat not only can advance But the whole Feast supply by their Attractive Strains The Nuptials done when Night 〈◊〉 Day invades Returning homeward ore the Verdant Meads Like Orpheus Walking in th' Elysian Shades He sees a Youth who in a Neighbouring Field Lookt as