(23) And this stirring in the hardness is the tone, so that [there is a] sound; and the light or flash makes the ringing, and the sweet water makes the ringing soft: so that a man can use the sound to the distinction of speech, or articulation of syllables. Here observe yet more plainly the Nativity or Birth of the bitter Quality.

(5) But some doubt arises when we consider the phenomena of hearing.

Perhaps we are to understand the process thus: the air is modified by the first movement; layer by layer it is successively acted upon by the object causing the sound: it finally impinges in that modified form upon the sense, the entire progression being governed by the fact that all the air from starting point to hearing point is similarly affected.

Perhaps, on the other hand, the intervenient is modified only by the accident of its midway position, so that, failing any intervenient, whatsoever sound two bodies in clash might make would impinge without medium upon our sense?

Still air is necessary; there could be no sound in the absence of the air set vibrating in the first movement, however different be the case with the intervenient from that onwards to the perception point.

The air would thus appear to be the dominant in the production of sound: two bodies would clash without even an incipient sound, but that the air, struck in their rapid meeting and hurled outward, passes on the movement successively till it reaches the ears and the sense of hearing.

But if the determinant is the air, and the impression is simply of air-movements, what accounts for the differences among voices and other sounds? The sound of bronze against bronze is different from that of bronze against some other substance: and so on; the air and its vibration remain the one thing, yet the difference in sounds is much more than a matter of greater or less intensity.

If we decide that sound is caused by a percussion upon the air, then obviously nothing turning upon the distinctive nature of air is in question: it sounds at a moment in which it is simply a solid body, until it is sent pulsing outwards: thus air in itself is not essential to the production of sound; all is done by clashing solids as they meet and that percussion, reaching the sense, is the sound. This is shown also by the sounds formed within living beings not in air but by the friction of parts; for example, the grinding of teeth and the crunching of bones against each other in the bending of the body, cases in which the air does not intervene.

But all this may now be left over; we are brought to the same conclusion as in the case of sight; the phenomena of hearing arise similarly in a certain co-sensitiveness inherent in a living whole.

(17) When a tone or noise soundeth in thy ears, so that thou receivest or catchest it up from the being of God, then thou infectest it, as if thou didst dart thunderclaps into it.

(8) Namely, when we thus perceive by touch the warmth here in the body . And of it we have this audible proof: Namely, when we thus, after stopping our ears, listen to what is like the rolling of a carriage, or the bellowing of an ox, or the sound of a burning fire (within the ears). Let a man meditate on this as the (Brahman) which is seen and heard. He, who knows this, becomes conspicuous and celebrated, yea, he becomes celebrated.

(63) When it goeth from the hardness and heat, then the hardness makes a thumping, knocking sound in the flash, and the heat ringeth forth, and the light in the flash makes the ringing clear, and the water mitigateth or softeneth it, and then in the astringency and hardness it is caught and dried up, so that it is a corporeal spirit in all the qualities.

(110) Here thou seest once more how the kingdom of God and the kingdom of hell hang one to the other, as one body, and yet the one cannot comprehend the other. For the second birth, viz. the heat, light, love, and the sound or tone, is hidden in the outermost, and makes the outward moveable, so that the outward gathereth itself together, and generateth a body.

(67) Timaeus: and the causes whereby its affections are produced. In general, then, let us lay it down that sound is a stroke transmitted through the ears, by the action of the air upon the brain and the blood, and reaching to the soul; and that the motion caused thereby, which begins in the head and ends about the seat of the liver, is “hearing”; and that every rapid motion produces a “shrill” sound, and every slower motion a more “deep” sound; and that uniform motion produces an “even” and smooth sound and the opposite kind of motion a “harsh” sound;

(24) And now when it seeth and heareth the divine tone, tune and sound rise up, which is externally without it, then is its spirit affected and kindled with joy, and elevateth itself in its princely seat, and singeth and ringeth forth very joyful words concerning God's holiness, and concerning the fruit and vegetation of the eternal life.

(111) Though the body stands in the outward palpableness, yet it is formed according to the kind and manner of the inward birth, for in the inward birth or geniture stands the word, and the word is the sound or tone, which riseth up in the light in the fire-flash through the bitter and astringent quality.

(4) Verily, while he does not there hear, he is verily hearing, though he does not hear (what is [usually] to be heard) 1; for there is no cessation of the hearing of a hearer, because of his imperishability [as a hearer]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may hear.

(3) The ear, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by sound as an over-apprehender, for by the ear one hears sounds.

(1) THE Sixth qualifying or fountain spirit in the divine power is the sound, tone, tune or noise, wherein all soundeth and tuneth; whence ensued speech, language, and the distinction of everything, as also the ringing melody and singing of the holy angels, and therein consisteth the forming or framing of all colours, beauty and ornament, as also the heavenly joyfulness. Question.

(2) "Well, then," enquired Tzŭ Yu, "since the music of earth consists of nothing more than holes, and the music of man of pipes and flutes,—of what consists the music of Heaven?" "The effect of the wind upon these various apertures," replied Tzŭ Ch'i, "is not uniform. But what is it that gives to each the individuality, to all the potentiality, of sound? "Great knowledge embraces the whole: small knowledge, a part only. Great speech is universal: small speech is particular. "For whether when the mind is locked in sleep or whether when in waking hours the body is released, we are subject to daily mental perturbations,—indecision, want of penetration, concealment, fretting fear, and trembling terror. Now like a javelin the mind flies forth, the arbiter of right and wrong. Now like a solemn covenanter it remains firm, the guardian of rights secured. Then, as under autumn and winter's blight, comes gradual decay, a passing away, like the flow of water, never to return. Finally, the block when all is choked up like an old drain,—the failing mind which shall not see light again. "Joy and anger, sorrow and happiness, caution and remorse, come upon us by turns, with ever-changing mood. They come like music from hollowness, like mushrooms from damp. Daily and nightly they alternate within us, but we cannot tell whence they spring. Can we then hope in a moment to lay our finger upon their very Cause?

(22) First there is the power, and in the power is the tone or tune, which, in the spirit, riseth up into the head, into the mind, as in man in the brain; and in the mind it [the tone] has its open doors or gates; but in the heart it has its seat and its origin, where it springeth [or ariseth] from all the powers.

(108) But when the word breaketh through, then the mouth within openeth wide, and the word conceiveth itself once more with its sound behind the astringent and the bitter qualities, and rouseth them up, as if they were lazy sleepers in the darkness, and goeth forth suddenly out at the mouth.

(70) From whence the senses and thoughts exist, so that one quality seeth the others, which are also in it, and tempered with itself, and proveth them with its sharpness, so that there cometh to be but one will; which in the body riseth up in the first fountainsource or wellspring in the astringent or harsh quality.

(72) This spirit taketh its original in the fire-flash, that is, in the bitter quality, and riseth up in the flash through the sweet water, wherein it mitigateth itself, so that it becometh clear and bright, and is caught or held in the astringent quality, and there it toucheth or stirreth all the spirits; and from this touching or stirring riseth up the tone; its rising source or quality stands in the flash, and its body or root stands in the sweet water in the love.