MISCELLANEOUS. 



259 



gets disintegrated, and we behold the three colours, 



blue, red, and yellow, in all their native glory. This is 



all I can tell you about 



polarized light, and it 



may be that part of 



this is only conjectural. 



I do not believe that, 



notwithstanding this is 



the age of photography 



and electricity, we shall 



ever know the scientific 



secrets of the composition 



of a ray of light till we 



get to know, by personal 



intimacy, Him who is the 



Light of the world. 



Now here are crystals 

 of citric acid, produced by 

 making a solution of that 

 chemical, then allowing 

 the moisture to evapo- 

 rate, and then, when the 

 solid parts remain, cover- 

 ing them with Canada 

 balsam to preserve them 

 and assist their transpa- 

 rency. What do they 

 look like? Flowers, all 

 delicately laid out upon 

 richly coloured glass. Here, too, is chlorate of potash, 

 and I know of no better resemblance which it presents 

 under polarized light than a scientific friend once used 

 when he said it was like " crushed cathedrals ! " The 

 glory and beauty of Gothic architecture, in ruins, is here 



The effect of polarized light upon 



f Und " "* 



