Text of 20 Hover Notes for Aside on “The Pythagorean Practice of ‘Medicine by Musick’”

#1 (of 20)

(having “a sect or School for my self” founded) — Cavendish’s passage reads in full: “Although the indisposition of my body did in a manner disswade me from studying and writing any more; yet the great desire I had to know the Opinions of the Ancient Philosophers, and whether any came near my own, overcame me so much, that even to the prejudice of my own health, I gave my self to the perusing of the works of that learned Author Mr. Stanly, wherein he describes the lives and opinions of the ancient Philosophers; in which I found so much difference betwixt their conceptions and my own in Natural Philosophy, that were it allowable or usual for our sex, I might set up a sect or School for my self, without any prejudice to them; But I, being a woman, do fear they would soon cast me out of their Schools; for though the Muses, Graces and Sciences are all of the female gender, yet they were more esteemed in former ages, then they are now; nay, could it be done handsomely, they would now turn them all from Females into Males; so great is grown the self-conceit of the Masculine, and the disregard of the Female sex.” (M. Cavendish, Observations upon Experimental Philosophy, 3 parts, 1666, 3.1–2) ::

#2 (of 20)

she can not “conceive the Truth” of Pythagorean doctrine — For example: “Neither am I able to conceive the Truth of his [Pythagoras’s] assertion, That all lines are derived from points, and all numbers from unity, and all figures from a circle; for there can be no such thing as a single point, a single unity, a single circle in Nature, by reason Nature is infinitely dividable and composable; neither can they be principles, because they are all but effects.” (M. Cavendish, Observations upon Experimental Philosophy, 3 parts, 1666, 3.18) ::

#3 (of 20)

she recycled the trope in multiple plays and stories — E.g., from Margaret Cavendish’s play, The Publick Wooing (1662): “[spoken by Lady Mute] ... in Antient Times Youth was taught sober Attention, and it was impos’d upon Scholars to keep silence five years before they were suffer’d to speak, that they might afterwards be able to Teach, and not always live to learn as School-boys, which they would always be, if they spent their time in words, and not study and observe ....” (M. Cavendish, Playes Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious and Excellent Princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle, 1662, 393)
  Pythagorean pedagogy also inspired scenes in Cavendish’s The Female Academy (printed in the 1662 collection of Playes), Youths Glory, and Deaths Banquet (also in the 1662 Playes), The Convent of Pleasure (printed in the 1668 collection of Plays, Never before Printed), and the tale of “The She Anchoret” (in Natures Pictures Drawn by Fancies Pencil to the Life, 1656, 287–362). ::

#4 (of 20)

a — Stanley’s note a (in margin) reads in full: “Jamb. c. 25.”
  The reference is to chapter 25 in Iamblichus’s De vita Pythagorica. ::

#5 (of 20)

b — Stanley’s note b (in margin) reads in full: “Reading Facsimile of Greek 3-word phrase, as typeset in 1660.. This example of Pythagoras seems to relate to Hesiod; the other of Empedocles, to Homer.” ::

#6 (of 20)

c — Stanley’s note c (in margin) reads in full: “See cap.” ::

#7 (of 20)

d — Stanley’s note d (in margin) reads in full: “De ira. 3. 9.” ::

#8 (of 20)

e — Stanley’s note e (in margin) reads in full: “Tusc. quaest. 4. prooem.” ::

#9 (of 20)

f — Stanley’s note f (in margin) reads in full: “Lib. 14. c. 23.” ::

#10 (of 20)

g — Stanley’s note g (in margin) reads in full: “Pag. 21.” ::

#11 (of 20)

h — Stanley’s note h (in margin) reads in full: “Lib. 2.” ::

#12 (of 20)

i — Stanley’s note i (in margin) reads in full: “Pag. 21.” ::

#13 (of 20)

k — Stanley’s note k (in margin) reads in full: “Not the Philosopher, but the Cretan. See the life of Thales, cap.” ::

#14 (of 20)

l — Stanley’s note l (in margin) reads in full: “In quinque voc.” ::

#15 (of 20)

m — Stanley’s note m (in margin) reads in full: “Cited by Boethius.” ::

#16 (of 20)

n — Stanley’s note n (in margin) reads in full: “Homil. 14.” ::

#17 (of 20)

o — Stanley’s note o (in margin) reads in full: “Lib. 9. cap. 4.” ::

#18 (of 20)

p — Stanley’s note p (in margin) reads in full: “De Isid. & Osirid.” ::

#19 (of 20)

q — Stanley’s note q (in margin) reads in full: “Cap. 12.” ::

#20 (of 20)

r — Stanley’s note r (in margin) reads in full: “Mus. lib. 2. pag. 95.” ::