The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-22

ing too curious to be properly omit ted in a chapter dedicated to the re- view of the music of the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews.
 That we may be the better able to resolve this question" says Kircher, how did David free Saul from the evil spirit? I shall first quote the words of the Holy Scripture, as found in the first book of Samuel, chap. xvi, yer. 2S, And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit de- parted from him.. The passage in the holy text informs us very clearly that the evil spirit, whatever it was, was driven away by musii; but how that came to pass is differently explained. The Rabbis, speaking on this passage say that when David cured Saul. he played on a cithara of ten strings; they say also that David knew that star by which it was necessary the music should be regulated in order to effect the cure. Thus says Rabbi Abenezra. But Picus of Mirandola says that music sets the spirits in motion, and thereby produces the like effects on the mind that medicine does on the body; from whence it may be seen that the comment of Abenezra is vain and trifling and that David re- garded not the aspect of the stars but trusting to the power of his instru- ment, struck it with his hand as his fancy suggested, And we,, rejecting such astrological Actions, assert that ! David freed Saul, not with herbs, po- tions or other medicaments, as some efficacy of music. In order to de- monstrate which theory is tenable let it be observed that those applications wEich unlock the pores. remove the ob- structions. dispel yapors and cheer the heart are best calculated to cure mad ness and allay the fury of the mind. Music produces these effects as it con sists in sounds, generated by the mo- tion of the air. It follows that it will stimulate the spirits, which by that motion are rendered warmer and quicker in their action, and so dissi- pate at length the melancholy humor.
 On the contrary, where it is neces- sary to relax the spirits, and prevent the wounding or affecting the mem branes of the brain, it is proper to use slow progressions of sound, that those spirits and biting vapors which ascend thither from the stomach, spleen and hypochondria may be quietly dismiss- ed. Therefore, the music of David might apease Saul, in either of these two ways of acceleration or dismiss sion; by the one he might have expell- ed the melancholy from the cells of the brain; or he might by the other have vapors by insensible precipitation. In either case, when the melancholy had left him, he could not be mad until the return of it, he being terrestrial, and as it were, destitute of action, un- less moved thereto by the vital spir- it's, which had led him here and there; but they had left him when, for the sake of the harmony they had flown to the ears, abandoning, as I may say their rule over him, And though, upon the cessation of the harmony, they might return, yet, the patient having been elevated, and rendered cheerful, the melancholy might have acquired more favorable habit. From all which, it is manifest, that this ef- feet proceeded not from any casual sound of the cithara but from the great art and excellent skill of David in playing on it; for, as he had a con Isummate and penetrating Judgment, and was always in the presence of Saul as being his armour bearer, he must have been perfectly acquainted with the inclination and bent of his mind, and to what passions it was most subject; hence, without doubt, he being enabled, not so much by his own skill, as impelled by divine instinct, knew so dexterously and with sounds suited to the humor and distemper of the king, to touch the cithara, or in- deed, any other instrument; for as hath been mentioned, he was skilled in the use of no fewer than thirty-six of different kinds.
 Tt might be, that at the instant we are speaking of David recited some certain rhythm proper for his purpose and which Saul might delight to hear; or, that by the power of metrical dancing, joined to the melody of the Instrument, he wrought this effect for Saul was apt to be affected in thls manner, by the music and dancing of his armour bearer as he was youth of very beautiful aspect. These rous- ed up the spirits and the words, which were rhythmically joined to the har- mony, tickling the hearing, lifted up the mind, as from dark prison, into the high region of light, whereby the gloomy spirits which oppressed the heart were dissipated and room was left for it to dilate itself, which dila- tion was naturally followed by tran quility and gladness,'
 Since the application of music is purely corporeal, the animal spirits are, of course, subject to it's operation, But whether David worked upon the disorder of Saul by means of the agita- tions communicated to the air by hls cithara q mean the agitations of the air simply as such) or by virtue of a power arising from the constitution of melody-of that ordered succession of Vibrations which the soul feels and enjoys, as something congenial with its own spirituality and as independ- net of the quantity and quality of tone, can never be decided.
 MORRIS STEINERT.