As for the several Moods, which, in musical Composition, were observed by the Antients, for moving particular Passions, there is a remarkable Fragment of _Damon_ the Musician, mentioned by _Aristides_ in _Plutarch_. This is supposed to be that kind of Musick used by _David_ and _Elisha_, as a Prescription to remove mental Disorders; and may suppose to point at the Original of the Pagans curing Diseases of the Body and Mind by instrumental Musick. It’s said, when an _evil Spirit_ from God was upon _Saul_, _David took a Harp and play’d with his Hand, so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil Spirit departed from him_. 1 Sam. xvi. 23. ... _AND Elisha said to Jehoram, King of Israel.... Were it not that I regard the Presence of the King of Judah, I would not look towards thee, but now bring me a Minstrel. And it came to pass when the Minstrel play’d, that the Hand of the Lord came upon him._ 2 Kings iii. 13,-15. It is observable here, that the Mind of _Elisha_ the Prophet was very much ruffled; now, under this Discomposure, he calls for a Minstrel, not out of Levity, but for a religious End; and that was, to compose his Mind, and to bring it into a serene and sedate Frame, and thereby to prepare himself for divine Exercises; or perhaps, a _devout Levite_, well skill’d in musical Performances, might play before him, and intermix with it, Psalms and spiritual Songs, according to the Constitutions of those Times. As the Prophets might indispose themselves for the Spirit of Prophecy, so they were to use Means to dispose themselves for the Impulses of the Holy Spirit; and for this End the School of the Prophets was appointed, in which the Students were trained up _in the Science of Musick_, _in strict Virtue_, _Self-denial_, _Contempt of worldly Grandeur_, _Knowledge of the Law_, _&c._ These Schools were Seminaries of Religion, in which the intended Guardians of the Spirituality were instructed, and prepared to receive the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit. We read how the Indians performed their Worship by dancing to Songs, the Priests of _Cybele_ with _Cymbals_, the _Curetes_ with Drums and Trumpets, the _Romans_ sung _Spondaic Verses_, while they offer’d their Sacrifices; the musical Sound that calm’d the Passions (consisting of _Spondees_ principally) _Aristotle_ calls moral; (to distinguish it from the _Diatonic_ and _Phrygian_) from whence the Custom might be derived. When the _Spartans_ went to War, they march’d to the Sound of _Flutes_, to animate the Soldiers; as is now done by Drum and Trumpet, to lessen the Terror of Death.