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out any regard to the quantity. Here he endeavors to shew, how all the Notes come into the Scale by their Relation and Dignities; whence he thinks it will be obvious, why, for easiness of instruction and convenience, the Scale of Degrees of Musick is made as Musicians now exhibit it.
Having dispatched that work, he proceeds to Musick that consists of several parts in Consort, which is made up of Harmony, Formality and Conformity. Of which, Harmony is the grateful sound produced by the joyning of several Tones in chord to one another: Formality requires, that the succeeding Notes be agreable to the former; and Conformity will, that each part have the like tendency to the succeeding Notes.
Lastly, he speaks of Time or the measures of Musick; the due observance of which is grateful for the same reason given for the Formality of a single Tune, because the subsequent strokes are measured by the memory of the former, and if they do comprehend them, or are comprehended by them, it is alike pleasant; the mind cannot chuse but compare one with the other, and observe when the strokes are coincident with the memory of the former. Whence it is, that, the less the intervals are, the more grateful is the measure, because it is easily & exactly represented by the memory; whereas a long space of time that cannot be comprehended in one thought, is not retain'd in the memory in its exact measure, nor cap abide the comparison, the time past being always shortned by so much as it is removed from the time present.
The whole is concluded by two Observations, by which we shall likewise conclude this Account: 1. That it plainly appears by the Discourse of this Tract, how Musick comes to be so copi. ous; for, considering the species of keys, the number of them, the variety of Chords, the allowable mixing of Discords, the diversity of measure; it is not to be wondred at, that it should, like Language, afford to every Age, every Nation, nay, every Person, particular stiles and modes. 2. That it appears likewise, that Tones or Modes of Musick in ancient time could not be of other kinds than are now, since there can be no other in nature. Wherefore the great effects it then had, if truly related, must be imputed to the rarity of it, and the barbarity of the people, who are not transported with any thing after it become common to them.
1677.
BROUNCKER, P.R.S.
London, Printed for John Martyn, Printer to the R. Society, 1677.
