March 2, 1883.] 



• KNOWLEDGE • 



lupcs, Bbopal State, the lio Tree appears as one of the jirincipal 

 bjecis of worship. 



The large Tope is the tomb of Ariaparsban, one of the chief 

 -;iints anionp the followers of Buddha, who lived nearly 2,000 years 

 liro. and on the lower architrave of one gateway the Kinp, probably 

 \soka. is represented in the act of dismounting from his elephant 

 <> worship the Bo Tree. On another architrave a great number of 

 iiimnls are depicted as marching towards the "Tree" for the 

 .iiriioso of adoring it. On anotherthore is a grand royal procession 

 lialtiiig before the " Tree " and worshipping it. 



That the Bo Tree still holds its position as one of the most 

 ncred objects in Buddhi.^t worship and is dedicated to the guds 1 

 letmt on going into a temple which stands on a rock in the middle 

 of the river Bctwa, a tributary of the Ganges in Prince Scindia 

 State. There in the lap of the god Ghanpatti I saw several freshly- 

 gathered leaves, and on asking the Buddhist Priest what leaves they 

 mre, he answered " Bodhi Leaves." At my rel|ues^ he gave me 

 three, which I now have. Ghanpatti, the god of Knowledge, 

 [Come ! I say, yon know ! — R. P.] is represented as having the body 

 •fa man with the head of an elephant, and is believed to be om- 

 ■iscient, and to possess t!ie power of imparting knowledge to all who 

 mmestly desire it. A. Sf. L. J. 



OPTICAL ILLUSION. 



[74:i] — I had rathiT a cnrions experience two or three mornings 

 ■go which interested me much, and which I thought might account 

 for at least a few of the many apparitions of which we now hear so 

 ■mch. I therefore send an account of it to yon in case yon may 

 tbink it interesting to yonr readers. 



I was training for the '" torpids," or heavy eight-oared inter- 

 collegiate races, and had, in accordance with the accepted training 

 nles, to get up at 7a.m. and go for a run before breakfast. On the 

 first morning of the training I woke up "when all the mom was 

 ■tilly dark," and as I had got into a bad habit of doing the greater 

 part of my work between 9p.m. and 2 a.m. I had not much notion 

 of the amount of light to expect at seven in the morning, so I 

 groped about, thinking trainingrules in general a great abomination, 

 and found that my clock had stopped ; therefore, opening my door I 

 mnt into the passage, intending to look at the clock in my sitting- 

 lOom. I there saw, as I thought, my friend, who was coming to run 

 with me, standing, his figure well defined against the window of a 

 Ettle room adjoining, the door of which generally stood open. So 

 Hmring him that I should be dressed in less than no time, and 

 apologising for being late, I was upon the point of going back into 

 ny room, but to my surjirise the figtirc did not answer, but gave a 

 kalf step backwards, as if hoping to escape notice, I then saw that 

 it was not of quite the same build as my friend, and it struck me 

 Biat, being earlier than I thought. I had disturbed a burglar in his 

 Mcnpation, so I " went " for Iiim, but instead of getting hold of my 

 nan, I came with great violence against the door of the room I had 

 thoaght open and my burglar vanished into thin air. I saw at once 

 my mistake. Behind me in the passage was a narrow window, and 

 flirongh this a street lamp threw a light upon the door, exactly of 

 the same size, and in a line >vith the window in the little room, and 

 •I I stood between the door and the passage window my shadow 

 WBB, thrown upon the door. So complete was the illusion that when 

 I returned to my originu! j.osition I could hardly believe that somc- 

 flne was not standing in front of me, for the distance of the lamp, 

 the early dawn, and the colour of the door, which was of stained 

 and varnished deal, gave the shadow a soft outline which looked 

 torribly real. I grant that I was very sleepy, but was sufficiently 

 •wake to remember very viHdIy the estimate I made of my burglar 

 iathe moment between iJiscovering him and going for him, which 

 Has that he would be exactly as much as I could " tackle," which 

 ■O doubt he would, being my precise double, for the lamp was so 

 inr off as to render him hardly perceptibly larger. When at last I 

 got to the clock in my sitting-room I found that it was not yet six, 

 aadsoretamed joyfully to bed, the next thing I heard being my friend 

 Tiolently banging at my door in none of the best hnmonrs at having 

 COtnp and dressed himse'f only to find me sleeping pc.nccfuUy the 

 deep of the just. Ax Qxfoed Uxdergb.^dimte. 



EFFECTS OF BELLADOXyA OX THE EYES. 



[7431 — In a recent number you inserted the experience of a 

 gentleman on putting atropine into one eye ; perhaps you may care 

 for the experience of one who has had it in lioth eyes at once- 



I may mention that, like your correspondent, I am assigmatic, and 

 had to put this belladonna into my eye to facilitate the examination 

 of the interior by the then most able ocolist alive. The belladonna 

 was put in, one drop in each eye, just before-going to bed. There 

 was no pain, and that night the only effect to be noticed was the 

 nnnsnal brilliancy of the eyeballs. When, however. I awoke it was 



with great difficulty that I could pci-suade myself of the fact. 

 Evervthing seemed to be enveloped in a mist, and I cotild see 

 nothing clearlv, except at a distance of about six or eight inches. 

 When 1 looked at a thing fixedly first of all, all the apparent mist 

 seemed to bo whiriing swiftly round it, and then gradunlly stopped, 

 bit the thing then appeared' double to me. It was at least a week 

 Iwfore the effects of the one dose had thoroughly worked off, and 

 during the latter part of that time the movement of the eyeballs 

 gave a most peculiar sensation, as if when I moved them the 

 muscles were trying to keep them back. This sensation was also 

 experienced when I looked from a thing at a distance to something 

 near. 



Before I took to spectacles (of peculiar nature to suit my eyes, 

 which are of diff. foci) I again had to nee the belladonna, taking to 

 the glasses the morning after the dose, and up to the present time 

 (two vears) I experience the above sensations when I take off my 

 glasses. No doubt if I left off my glasses for a week the effects 

 would wear off again. I may add that I never take my glasses off 

 from morning to night. ■!• ''- Honn. 



AX EYE FOR BEAUTY. 



[744] — In re corsets, is, or could, physiology be taught at our 

 great public schools— intelligently taught I mean, so that boys 

 aliuuid " iKifrstand the ugliness of pinched wnists? As has been 

 well said, what taste can be expected from a lad brought np to 

 admire Eton jackets and tall hats ? No wonder he grows up to 

 regard a woman as a doll— pretty only if fashionable. And she 

 will be stupidly fashionable while he admires her for it. 



' ■' M. McC. 



[As a cure, every lad should pass an hour or two twice a week 

 studying the works of great sculptors, and learning the dignity, 

 bean'ty, grace, and purity, of the unadorned human body. If I were 

 to count the hours I passed thus myself, many would ask with 

 wonder how I found the time. My answer might perhaps be that 

 I saved it by eschewing dictionaries. But seriously : I value few 

 portions of my education more than this, the least laborious and 

 most pleasant. — K. P.] 



A PUBLIC RIGHT. 



[745] — You spoke in the public interest with regard to Kew ; will 

 you help us to greater enjoyment of another national possession ? 

 I state the case briefly, and hope to enlist your sympathy. 



By procuring an order, it was possible, two or three years ago, for 

 a few people to see the magnificent collection of Turner's water- 

 colours and drawings, arranged in portable cases by Mr. Ruskin. 

 and stored in a room below the National Gallery. 



As an improvement on this plan, a certain number of the draw- 

 ings are now placed in cases, and the room is open to the 

 public. These drawings are changed every three months, and it is 

 supposed that residents in London may in time see the whole 

 collection (some 700 or more), but the mass of drawings in the 

 cases are now inaccessible. 



Therefore, people who don't reside in I.ondon, but who wish to 

 study the great English master when they do go there, must be 

 content with just the examples that happen to be out. 



Secondly. — Those— I believe an increasing number— who wish to 

 possess some of Mr. Ward's or Miss Jay's admirable copies, have no 

 power to search the cases for a subject. 



Thirdly.— The same limitation must interfere, I imagine, with 

 students' who do not know by name the drawings concealed from 

 view, and therefore cannot say which they want. 



Lastly.— The collection specially selected for educational pur- 

 poses by Mr. Raskin is now screwed to the wall in a room so dark 

 that no one can see it, much less copy from it, and the resources of 

 the Gallei-j- are not equal to the labour of moving one of these 

 drawings at the request of a student. The study of them is 

 practically forbidden. 



Sir. Ruskin protested in his catalogue against the dark chamber. 

 I am told that for some time the catalogue was not sold in the 

 room because of this protest. Happily it is there now. 



Tho authorities may consider Turner's works more unique than 

 admirable, bnt they are national property, and those who love them 

 should claim access to them. Of course, every reasonable precau- 

 tion mnst be taken to ensure the safety of tho drawings, bnt as the 

 attendant is in the room as of old, a limited number of orders 

 might be issued daily, admitting the holders to see the cases. 



A small table placed in each window of the light room to accom- 

 modate them would not trespass too ranch on the very limited 

 space. II- ^t^C. 



[I insert " M. McC.'s" letter, but without much hope of any 

 useful result. Officials scarcely ever understand that — while they 

 accept State salaries — they are the paid servants of the public. — 

 R. P.] 



