Cheyne, George (1671-1743)

An Essay of Health and Long Life

London

George Strahan

1724

"Since the Mind resides, as has been said, in the common Sensory, like a skilful Musician. by a well-tuned Instrument; if the Organ be found, duly tempered, and exactly adjusted, answering and corresponding with the Actions of the Musician, the Musick will be distinct, agreeable and harmonious."

§. 4. Since the Mind resides, as has been said, in the common Sensory, like a skilful Musician. by a well-tuned Instrument; if the Organ be found, duly tempered, and exactly adjusted, answering and corresponding with the Actions of the Musician, the Musick will be distinct, agreeable and harmonious. But if the Organ be spoiled and broken, neither duly tuned, nor justly fitted up, it will not answer the Intention of the Musician, nor yield any distinct Sound, or true Harmony. Those therefore who are tender and valetudinary, lead sedentary Lives, or indulge contemplative Studies, ought to avoid Excesses of the Passions, as they would Excesses in high Food, or Spirituous Liquors, if they have any Regard to Health, to the Preservation or Integrity of their Intellectual Faculties, or the bodily Organs of them. As the Passions, when, slow and continued, relax, unbend, and dissolve the Nervous Fibres; so the sudden and violent ones screw up, stretch and bend them, whereby the Blood and Juices are hurried about with a violent Impetuosity, and all the Secretions are either stopp'd by the Constrictions, Cramps and Convulsions begot by them, or are precipitated, crude and unconcocted, and so beget, or at least dispose toward Inflammations, Fevers or Mortifications [...]
(VI, pp. 157-9)

Population::Resident Population::Musician Music::Instrument Music::Tuning

Reading in the British Library

Cheyne, George. An Essay of Health and Long Life (London: George Strahan, 1724). <Link to Google Books>

02/08/2012