Ignorance of the Composer serve rather to entertain the Understanding, than to gratifie the Passions of a skilful Master; whose Passions are then the most thoroughly raised, when his Understanding receives the greatest Satisfaction.
VII. It will be difficult to form a just Idea of the Pleasure which the Ancient Musick afforded, unless one reflects upon the confessedly unimitable Sweetness of the Ancient Poetry, the Greek especially; which, when sung by clear and sweet Voices, in such a manner, as that the Hearer never lost a Syllable, could scarce fail of producing those Emotions of Soul which the Poet intended to raise. And, indeed, the great End of Musick, which is to please the Audience, was anciently, perhaps, better answered than now; though a Modern Master would then have been dis-satisfied, because such Consorts as the Ancient Symphonies properly were, in which several Instruments, and perhaps Voices, played and sung the same Part together, cannot discover the Extent and Perfection of the Art, which here only is to be considered, so much as the Compositions of our Modern Opera's.
From all this it may, perhaps, be not unreasonable to conclude, that though(z) those
