Spi] AND SYMBOLS. 331 



consonants s, t, and which resembles the noise of the air coming 

 out of a little opening in a compressed bladder. The cicadas 

 in general are very timid, and fly away at the least noise. 

 However, when a cicada is singing, one can approach it, whist- 

 ling the while in a quavering manner, and imitating as nearly as 

 possible its cry, but in such a manner as to predominate over it. 

 The insect then descends a small space down the tree, as if to 

 approach the whistler, then it stops. But if one presents a stick 

 to it, continuing to whistle, the cicada settles on it and begins 

 again to descend backwards. From time to time it stops as if 

 to listen. At last attracted and, as it were, fascinated by the 

 harmony of the whistle, it comes to the observer himself. Here 

 then is another of the many instances in which a creature may 

 be befooled by a mere sound. We have observed at church 

 congresses, at revival meetings, tea meetings, electioneering 

 gatherings, and at sundry times in divers places, that human 

 beings can be cajoled by the same thing. A man with an 

 ecclesiastical wand, or an electioneering wand, if he will learn 

 his tune properly, can always bring down the human cicada 

 plebeia, and get him in his own power. L 



^/ Spiritual Torpor. 



We may accept it as an axiom in physiology, that the activity 

 of respiration is inseparably connected with vital activity, not 

 simply muscular activity, as some writers maintain, but all pro 

 cesses whatever, involving chemical change within the body. 

 The most striking confirmation of this axiom is perhaps to be 

 seen in the phenomena of hybernation or winter sleep. No 

 sooner are the vital functions reduced to this extremely feeble 

 condition, in which we may almost say life is suspended, than 

 these hybernating animals are so incapable of ordinary respira- 

 tion that they may be placed in an atmosphere of pure carbonic 

 acid, and remain there unhurt for four hours, whereas if they 

 were placed in such an atmosphere when their breathing was 

 going on they would instantly perish. In the mental world 

 there is a spiritual hybernation. The intelligence falJs into a 

 profound slumber. When it does so the mind is independent 

 of all its ordinary requirements, and can exist in an atmosphere 



