Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/283

 made of Sheeps and Wolves gut, be brought to any agreement, because their foundations are dissonant; but the many and divers voyces of men agree together, because they have one foundation in the species or kinde: so many birds agree, because they have one nigh genus or kinde, and a resemblance from above; also artificiall instruments agree with natural voyces, because the similitude that is betwixt them, is either true and manifest, or hath a certain analogy. But every harmony is either of sounds or voyces. Sound is a breath, voyce is a sound and animate breath; Speech is a breath pronounced with sound, and a voyce signifying something: the spirit of which proceedeth out of the mouth with sound and voyce; Chaludius saith that a voyce is sent forth out of the inward cavity of the breast and heart, by the assistance of the spirit. By which, together with the tongue, forming, and striking the narrow passages of the mouth, and by the other vocall organs, are delivered forth articulate sounds; the elements of speech, by which Interpreter the secret motions of the minde are laid open: but Lactantius saith, that the nature of the voyce is very obscure, and cannot be comprehended how it is made, or what it is. To conclude, All Musick consisteth in voice, in sound, and hearing: sound without Air cannot be Audible, which though it be necessary for hearing, yet, as Aire, it is not of it self audible, nor to be perceived by any sense, unless by accident; for the Sight seeth it not, unless it be coloured, nor the Ears unless sounding, nor the Smell unless odoriferous, nor the Taste unless it be sapid, nor the Touch unless it be cold or hot, and so forth: Therefore though sound cannot be made without Air, yet is not sound of the nature of Air, not air of the nature of sound, but air is the body of the life of our sensitive spirit, and is not of the nature of any sensible object, but of a more simple and higher vertue, but it is meet that the sensitive soul should vivifie the air joyned to it; and in the vivificated air, which is joyned to the spirit, perceive the species of objects put forth into act, and this is done in the living air, but in a subtile and Diaphanous the visible species, in an ordinary air the audible, in a more gross air the species of other senses are perceived.

Chap. xxvi. Concerning the agreement of them with the Celestial bodies, and