ANALOGY OF COLOR AND TONE. 33 



1823" to which I beg to refer for this and many other 

 valuable facts and observations. 



Mr. Gurney states, " that having filled a large goblet with 

 two-thirds of water, and producing a tone in the usual way, 

 with the hand previously wetted 4 points only of the circle of 

 the glass became agitated, and these of equal distances from 

 each other. 



" This is called the simple or fundamental tone, when by 

 vibration, four distinct radii are seen on the surface of the 

 water. 



" When the fifth from the natural tone is produced, on the 

 same glass (viz. 2 to 1) there will be 6 points of vibration, and 

 6 radii. 



" But when the vibrations combine in odd numbers they 

 give 5 radii, and consequently angles of 72. 



< If now you raise the tone to the octave, 8 points of agita- 

 tion will be distinctly seen." See Gurney 's Lectures on Che- 

 mical Science, pages 96 and 72. 



He also observes, page 93, that elements in chemistry com- 

 bine 1 to 1, 1 to 2, 1 to 3, &c., constituting perfect com- 

 pounds : so also musical vibrations combine 1 to 1, 1 to 2, 

 1 to 3, constituting perfect chords, or concords. Other sub- 

 stances in chemistry combine in the proportions of 3 to 2, 5 

 to 3, &c. constituting less Intimate compounds : so also in the 

 vibrations of sound, they combine 3 to 2, 5 to 3, forming 

 thirds, great sixths, &c. which are less perfect chords ; and 

 so on through the gradations of harmony of tone exhibiting a 

 great analogy between the laws by which they are respec- 

 tively governed. Certain tones are also produced by the ignition 

 of gases. 



The inference to be drawn from both these parallels would 

 seem to establish that there appears to be a direct coincidence 

 between the colors afforded by light, and the modulations of 

 tone, and between the sounds produced by the vibrations of 

 glass vessels holding water, and the corresponding radii exhi- 



D 



