FALSE CONTINUITY. 



tions, having vibrations from as few as 16 

 to as many as 38,000 per second. 



It might be thought that if sound be due to 

 the air being struck a succession of blows, we 

 should perceive it as a succession of separate 

 impressions. 



And so, indeed, we do, under certain circum- 

 stances. If a man with a very deep voice speak 

 with his back leaning against the back of a 

 form, his voice can be felt as vibrations by 

 another person leaning against the same form- 

 back. Or the fact can be observed simply by 

 placing the hand on the front or back of his 

 chest while he is speaking, especially if he be 

 requested to say " ninety-nine/' 



And if we try to use bass notes which are too 

 deep, we begin, even with the ear, to perceive 

 the separate vibrations of which the notes 

 consist, which is the reason why the musical 

 scale cannot reach to the bottom of the audible 

 scale. 



But, for the most part, musical notes are, in 

 fact, heard, not as successions of separate strokes, 

 which they really are, but as continuous states. 

 How is this ? 



It depends upon the fact that impressions 

 on the ear, like those on the eye, are not in- 

 stantaneous, but last for a definite time. It 

 is on this principle that the cinematograph 

 works. The impression made on the eye by 

 one picture remains till the next impression is 



R 257 



