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es。 A third was named 〃Cinque tempi：〃 a fourth 〃Moresca；〃 which was played to a Moorish dance； a fifth； 〃Catena；〃 and a sixth； with a very appropriate designation； 〃Spallata；〃 as if it were only fit to be played to dancers who were lame in the shoulder。 This was the slowest and least in vogue of all。 For those who loved water they took care to select love songs； which were sung to corresponding music； and such persons delighted in hearing of gushing springs and rushing cascades and streams。 It is to be regretted that on this subject we are unable to give any further information； for only small fragments of songs； and a very few tarantellas； have been preserved which belong to a period so remote as the beginning of the seventeenth； or at furthest the end of the sixteenth century。
The music was almost wholly in the Turkish style （aria Turchesca）； and the ancient songs of the peasantry of Apulia； which increased in number annually； were well suited to the abrupt and lively notes of the Turkish drum and the shepherd's pipe。 These two instruments were the favourites in the country； but others of all kinds were played in towns and villages； as an accompaniment to the dances of the patients and the songs of the spectators。 If any particular melody was disliked by those affected； they indicated their displeasure by violent gestures expressive of aversion。 They could not endure false notes； and it is remarkable that uneducated boors； who had never in their lives manifested any perception of the enchanting power of harmony； acquired； in this respect； an extremely refined sense of hearing； as if they had been initiated into the profoundest secrets of the musical art。 It was a matter of every day's experience； that patients showed a predilection for certain tarantellas； in preference to others； which gave rise to the composition of a great variety of these dances。 They were likewise very capricious in their partialities for particular instruments； so that some longed for the shrill notes of the trumpet； others for the softest music produced by the vibration of strings。
Tarantism was at its greatest height in Italy in the seventeenth century； long after the St。 Vitus's Dance of Germany had disappeared。 It was not the natives of the country only who were attacked by this complaint。 Foreigners of every colour and of every race； negroes； gipsies； Spaniards； Albanians； were in like manner affected by it。 Against the effects produced by the tarantula's bite； or by the sight of the sufferers； neither youth nor age afforded any protection； so that even old men of ninety threw aside their crutches at the sound of the tarantella； and； as if some magic potion； restorative of youth and vigour； were flowing through their veins； joined the most extravagant dancers。 Ferdinando saw a boy five years old seized with the dancing mania； in consequence of the bite of a tarantula； and； what is almost past belief； were it not supported by the testimony of so credible an eye…witness； even deaf people were not exempt from this disorder； so potent in its effect was the very sight of those affected； even without the exhilarating emotions caused by music。
Subordinate nervous attacks were much more frequent during this century than at any former period； and an extraordinary icy coldness was observed in those who were the subject of them； so that they did not recover their natural heat until they had engaged in violent dancing。 Their anguish and sense of oppression forced from them a cold perspiration； the secretion from the kidneys was pale； and they had so great a dislike to everything cold； that when water was offered them they pushed it away with abhorrence。 Wine； on the contrary； they all drank willingly； without being heated by it； or in the slightest degree intoxicated。 During the whole period of the attack they suffered from spasms in the stomach； and felt a disinclination to take food of any kind。 They used to abstain some time before the expected seizures from meat and from snails； which they thought rendered them more severe； and their great thirst for wine may therefore in some measure be attributable to the want of a more nutritious diet； yet the disorder of the nerves was evidently its chief cause； and the loss of appetite； as well as the necessity for support by wine； were its effects。 Loss of voice； occasional blindness； vertigo； complete insanity； with sleeplessness； frequent weeping without any ostensible cause； were all usual symptoms。 Many patients found relief from being placed in swings or rocked in cradles； others required to be roused from their state of suffering by severe blows on the soles of their feet； others beat themselves； without any intention of making a display； but solely for the purpose of allaying the intense nervous irritation which they felt； and a considerable number were seen with their bellies swollen； like those of the St。 John's dancers； while the violence of the intestinal disorder was indicated in others by obstinate constipation or diarrhoea and vomiting。 These pitiable objects gradually lost their strength and their colour； and creeping about with injected eyes； jaundiced complexions； and inflated bowels； soon fell into a state of profound melancholy； which found food and solace in the solemn tolling of the funeral bell； and in an abode among the tombs of cemeteries； as is related of the Lycanthropes of former times。
The persuasion of the inevitable consequences of being bitten by the tarantula； exercised a dominion over men's minds which even the healthiest and strongest could not shake off。 So late as the middle of the sixteenth century； the celebrated Fracastoro found the robust bailiff of his landed estate groaning； and； with the aspect of a person in the extremity of despair； suffering the very agonies of death from a sting in the neck； inflicted by an insect which was believed to be a tarantula。 He kindly administered without delay a potion of vinegar and Armenian bole； the great remedy of those days for the plague of all kinds of animal poisons； and the dying man was； as if by a miracle； restored to life and the power of speech。 Now； since it is quite out of the question that the bole could have anything to do with the result in this case； notwithstanding Fracastoro's belief in its virtues； we can only account for the cure by supposing； that a confidence in so great a physician prevailed over this fatal disease of the imagination； which would otherwise have yielded to scarcely any other remedy except the tarantella。 Ferdinando was acquainted with women who； for thirty years in succession； had overcome the attacks of this disorder by a renewal of their annual danceso long did they maintain their belief in the yet undestroyed poison of the tarantula's bite； and so long did that mental affection continue to exist； after it had ceased to depend on any corporeal excitement。
Wherever we turn； we find that this morbid state of mind prevailed； and was so supported by the opinions of the age； that it needed only a stimulus in the bite of the tarantula； and the supposed certainty of its very disastrous consequences； to originate this violent nervous disorder。 Even in Ferdinando's time there were many who altogether denied the poisonous effects of the tarantula's bite； whilst they considered the disorder； which annually set Italy in commotion； to be a melancholy depending on the imagination。 They dearly expiated this scepticism； however； when they were led； with an inconsiderate hardihood； to test their opinions by experiment； for many of them became the subjects of severe tarantism； and even a distinguished prelate； Jo。 Baptist Quinzato； Bishop of Foligno； having allowed himself； by way of a joke； to be bitten by a tarantula； could obtain a cure in no other way than by being； through the influence of the tarantella； compelled to dance。 Others among the clergy； who wished to shut their ears against music； because they considered dancing derogatory to their station； fell into a dangerous state of illness by thus delaying the crisis of the malady； and were obliged at last to save themselves from a miserable death by submitting to the unwelcome but sole means of cure。 Thus it appears that the age was so little favourable to freedom of thought； that even the most decided sceptics； incapable of guarding themselves against the recollection of what had been presented to the eye； were subdued by a poison； the powers of which they had ridiculed； and which was in itself inert in its effect。
SECT。 5HYSTERIA
Different characteristics of the morbidly excited vitality having been rendered prominent by tarantism in different individuals； it could not but happen that other derangements of the nerves would assume the form of this whenever circumstances favoured such a transition。 This was more especially the case with hysteria； that proteiform and mutable disorder； in which the imaginations； the superstitions； and the follies of all ages have been evidently reflected。 The 〃Carnevaletto delle Donne〃 appeared most opportunely for those who were hysterical。 Their disease received from it； as it had at other times from other extraordinary customs； a peculiar direction； so that； whether bitten by the tar