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An essay by Isaac Disraeli |
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Characters Described By Musical Notes |
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Title: Characters Described By Musical Notes Author: Isaac Disraeli [More Titles by Disraeli] The idea of describing characters under the names of Musical Instruments has been already displayed in two most pleasing papers which embellish the _Tatler_, written by Addison. He dwells on this idea with uncommon success. It has been applauded for its _originality_; and in the general preface to that work, those papers are distinguished for their felicity of imagination. The following paper was published in the year 1700, in a volume of "Philosophical Transactions and Collections," and the two numbers of Addison in the year 1710. It is probable that this inimitable writer borrowed the seminal hint from this work:-- "A conjecture at dispositions from the modulations of the voice. "Sitting in some company, and having been but a little before musical, I chanced to take notice that, in ordinary discourse, _words_ were spoken in perfect _notes_; and that some of the company used _eighths_, some _fifths_, some _thirds_; and that his discourse which was the most pleasing, his _words_, as to their tone, consisted most of _concords_, and were of _discords_ of such as made up harmony. The same person was the most affable, pleasant, and best-natured in the company. This suggests a reason why many discourses which one _hears_ with much pleasure, when they come to be _read_ scarcely seem the same things. "From this difference of MUSIC in SPEECH, we may conjecture that of TEMPERS. We know the Doric mood sounds gravity and sobriety; the Lydian, buxomness and freedom; the AEolic, sweet stillness and quiet composure; the Phrygian, jollity and youthful levity; the Ionic is a stiller of storms and disturbances arising from passion; and why may we not reasonably suppose, that those whose speech naturally runs into the notes peculiar to any of these moods, are likewise in nature hereunto congenerous? _C Fa ut_ may show me to be of an ordinary capacity, though good disposition. _G Sol re ut_, to be peevish and effeminate. _Flats_, a manly or melancholic sadness. He who hath a voice which will in some measure agree with all _cliffs_, to be of good parts, and fit for variety of employments, yet somewhat of an inconstant nature. Likewise from the TIMES: so _semi-briefs_ may speak a temper dull and phlegmatic; _minims_, grave and serious; _crotchets_, a prompt wit; _quavers_, vehemency of passion, and scolds use them. _Semi-brief-rest_ may denote one either stupid or fuller of thoughts than he can utter; _minimrest,_ one that deliberates; _crotchet-rest_, one in a passion. So that from the natural use of MOOD, NOTE, and TIME, we may collect DISPOSITIONS." [The end] GO TO TOP OF SCREEN |