446 071 Ancient Greek Music. another ; each particular passion having its proper mode, or melody, assigned to it. Now whoever seriously considers this will doubtless own that all these circumstances must concur to produce all the great effects of music ; namely, to delight the ear, affect the heart, and to enliven and recreate the mind. " But how far the present music may be destitute of these powers, either by the introduction of new laws, or perhaps by our negligence in the use and application of the powers themselves, may be easily perceived, when its real effects are compared with these mentioned above ; for though it is copious in its harmonies and pleasing in its various move- ments, yet does it not even in the lowest degree produce any of the effects of the ancient music. " This upon the whole is certain, that since those happy days, these internal passions have been raised and still are raised by music ; but this is rather the effect of melody than of a combined and full harmony. We cannot however in any case expect these effects without an awakened attention in the hearer, and a mind free from tumultuous and unruly passions : now from the application and frequent use of this excellent cause, we may clearly derive the wonderful effects of ancient music. To attain the same end, we have found it necessary to use the same means in our present labours, as far as the received taste of our times would allow us. Thus much may be said, as well for the sake of truth, as for obtaining, if not some praise, at least some favourable excuse, that we have not in this work always introduced the present fashionable airy style (though we would not be thought to take upon us to reform it ;) and that to support in some measure the true simplicity and manly gravity of the ancient style, we have sometimes transgressed against the elegancies of the modern. " Men's prejudices against music do not arise merely from the art itself, but it is often debased by mean and trivial words, which, instead of rendering it a subject of phi- losophical speculation by its magnificence and sublimity, pro- duce a contrary effect, of little or no estimation — however pleasing it may be to some. And this abuse is not wholly confined to the theatre; but has even intruded into places
