THE BEAUTIFUL IN SOUNDS.
In this sense we find an equal aptitude to be affected in a soft and
delicate manner; and how far sweet or beautiful sounds agree with our
descriptions of beauty in other senses, the experience of every one must
decide. Milton has described this species of music in one of his
juvenile poems.[27] I need not say that Milton was perfectly well versed
in that art; and that no man had a finer ear, with a happier manner of
expressing the affections of one sense by metaphors taken from another.
The description is as follows:--
"And ever against eating cares,
Lap me in _soft_ Lydian airs;
In notes with many a _winding_ bout
Of _linked sweetness long drawn_ out;
With wanton heed, and giddy cunning,
The _melting_ voice through _mazes_ running;
_Untwisting_ all the chains that tie
The hidden soul of harmony."
Let us parallel this with the softness, the winding surface, the
unbroken continuance, the easy gradation of the beautiful in other
things; and all the diversities of the several senses, with all their
several affections, will rather help to throw lights from one another to
finish one clear, consistent idea of the whole, than to obscure it by
their intricacy and variety.
To the above-mentioned description I shall add one or two remarks. The
first is; that the beautiful in music will not hear that loudness and
strength of sounds, which may be used to raise other passions; nor notes
which are shrill, or harsh, or deep; it agrees best with such as are
clear, even, smooth, and weak. The second is; that great variety, and
quick transitions from one measure or tone to another, are contrary to
the genius of the beautiful in music. Such[28] transitions often excite
mirth, or other sudden or tumultuous passions; but not that sinking,
that melting, that languor, which is the characteristical effect of the
beautiful as it regards every sense. The passion excited by beauty is in
fact nearer to a species of melancholy, than to jollity and mirth. I do
not here mean to confine music to any one species of notes, or tones,
neither is it an art in which I can say I have any great skill. My sole
design in this remark is to settle a consistent idea of beauty. The
infinite variety of the affections of the soul will suggest to a good
head, and skilful ear, a variety of such sounds as are fitted to raise
them. It can be no prejudice to this, to clear and distinguish some few
particulars that belong to the same class, and are consistent with each
other, from the immense crowd of different and sometimes contradictory
ideas, that rank vulgarly under the standard of beauty. And of these it
is my intention to mark such only of the leading points as show the
conformity of the sense of hearing with all the other senses, in the
article of their pleasures.