304 POPULAR LECTURES AND ADDRESSES. 



could vibfate his hand to and fro thirty times per 

 second, and without any other musical instrument 

 could make a musical note by the movement of 

 his hand which would correspond to one of the 

 pedal notes of an organ. 



If you want to know the length of a pedal 

 pipe, you can calculate it in this way. There are 

 some numbers you must remember, and one of 

 them is this. You, in this country, are subjected 

 to the British insularity in weights and measures ; 

 you use the foot and inch and yard. I am obliged 

 to use that system, but I apologise to you for 

 doing so, because it is so inconvenient, and I 

 hope all Americans will do everything in their 

 power to introduce the French metrical system. 

 I hope the evil action performed by an English 

 minister whose name I need not mention, because 

 I do not wish to throw obloquy on any one, may 

 be remedied. He abrogated a useful rule, which 

 for a short time was followed, and which I hope 

 will soon be again enjoined, that the French 

 metrical system be taught in all our national schools. 

 I do not know how it is in America. The school 



