Literary Noliccs. 377 



6%, all adults and destitute of superstitious beliefs about darkness, 

 still have these fears when in the dark or in a closed s|)ace. (3) Blind 

 c hildrcn dread the night and, if they are to go about, desire compan- 

 ions. 'I'he reaction here may be due to stillness (jr loneliness; and 

 one person so re[Jorts. (4) I'wilight hour is loved in 273 cases ; 

 shunned in 79, and indifferent in 32. Preference among whites was 

 to be alone, while <So% of the returns for negroes showed desire for 

 C(»mpany. "I'he sentiments typical at sunset, given in order of their 

 numeri( al importance, are moral and religious aspirations, sadness, lone- 

 liness, rest, awe and reverence, quiet and thoughtfulness, peace, glad- 

 ness, regret, sorrow and longing." (5) Of 291 adults 197 had person- 

 al experience of the exhilarating effect of artificial light — results that 

 agreed with observations upon t^2 children. ihe amount of this effect 

 varies from a .slight increase in mental and physical activity to cases of 

 actual abandon. No effect had been noticed l)y 62 adults. (6) En- 

 tering shade is followed by depression of spirit ; entering sunlight 

 rouses cheerful feeling. The blind are susceptible to these sudden 

 changes, but not to the change from day to night. The direction of 

 suceptibility is not stated. (7) The effects of a longer period of gloom 

 appears in the poorer quality of mental work and its smaller quantity. 

 So it seems to be with the blind. (iHKKi.Y, the Arctic traveler, noted 

 among his men insomnia, irritability, gloom, and indisjjosition to exer- 

 tion as the winter wore on, leading to symptoms of mental disturbance 

 even more serious. Thermal effei ts must not be forgotten though 

 where these differetl widely, as in Siam.kn's march through the great 

 forest in Africa, this traveler noted similar reactions among his com- 

 pany, and the strong re\ ulsion of feeling on passing its confines. (8) 

 Ihe following examples of children's phototropisms are fre(|uently 

 given : they l>lay on the sunny side of the room or the street, disregard 

 heat or (old to [)lay in sunshine, babies creep toward the sun, children 

 are always hapj)ier and more active in sunshine. (9) This reaction at 

 times becomes negative, apparenti)' under conditions of fatigue. A 

 child tired and sleepy with play in the sun usuall) (raves the opposite 

 condition for sleep. Travelers in lands (tf brilliant sunshine often re- 

 report this as becoming positively painful. Thermal effects here prob- 

 ably offer com[)lications, though (JkKK.i,\ found insomnia and restless- 

 ness consequent upon the long Arctic day. 



The ri( hness of the fancies woven about light and darkness is 

 taken as signifii ant in favor of the theory of recapitulation. The value 

 of such evidence ought to be questioned in view of the complicating 

 effects of social heredity. .' 



