ents of various tones, both high and low, loud and soft; and near
them are singers of both sexes who entertain the citizens with the
sweetest music and singing, both in concert and solo, varied at times as
to its particular kind: these concerts continue on those days of
festivity from morning till noon, and afterwards till evening. 2.
Moreover, every morning from the houses around the public places we hear
the sweetest songs of virgins and young girls, which resound though the
whole city. It is an affection of spiritual love, which is sung every
morning; that is, it is rendered sonorous by modifications of the voice
in singing, or by modulations. The affection in the song is perceived as
the real affection, flowing into the minds of the hearers, and exciting
them to a correspondence with it: such is the nature of heavenly
singing. The virgin-singers say, that the sound of their song is as it
were self-inspired and self-animated from within, and exalted with
delight according to the reception it meets with from the hearers. When
this is ended, the windows of the houses around the public places, and
likewise of those in the streets, are shut, and so also are the doors;
and then the whole city is silent, and no noise heard in any part of it,
nor is any person seen loitering in the streets, but all are intent on
their work and the duties of their calling. 3. At noon, however, the
doors are opened, and in the afternoon also the windows in some houses,
and boys and girls are seen playing in the streets, while their masters
and mistresses sit in the porches of their houses, watching over them,
and keeping them in order. 4. At the extreme parts of the city there are
various sports of boys and young men, as running, hand-ball, tennis,
&c.; there are besides trials of skill among the boys, in order to
discover the readiness of their wit in speaking, acting, and perceiving;
and such as excel receive some leaves of laurel as a reward; not to
mention other things of a like nature, designed to call forth and
exercise the latent talents of the young people. 5. Moreover out of the
city are exhibited stage-entertainments, in which the actors represent
the various graces and virtues of moral life, among whom are inferior
characters for the sake of relatives." And one of the ten asked, "How
for the sake of relatives?" And they replied, "No virtue with its graces
and beauties, can be suitably represented except by means of relatives,
in whic