with Reference to Sound. 357 
among the finest music rooms in existence. More recently also, 
Mr. J. Scott Russell has advocated the use of aliquot parts of 
some common multiple, for the proportions, in length, width 
and height, of speaking and concert rooms, though upon what 
grounds we do not find distinctly stated. 
Our own belief is that we are to look for the explanation of 
these requirements simply to the phenomena exhibited in the vi- 
bration of musical strings and pipes. 
ays Mr. Herschell : 
a cord, although vibrating freely, may yet have any number of 
Points equally distributed at aliquot parts of its whole length, which 
never leave the axis, and between which the vibrating portions are 
equal and similar. Such points of rest are called nodes or nodal 
seg ; the intermediate portions which vibrate are termed ventral seg- 
nents, 
_ See the subjoined figures, which are taken from the Encyclo- 
Pedia Metropolitana. 
qonaqnerecns*Seretesenys,. 
setae sene. - nnsmnteereeegy | 
I ails Stans ys cigs eee ies aa aa as.” AT | mete: ages | 
the String, and nding in the former case to a double, in the lat- 
tet to a triple rapidity of vibration. If a small piece of light paper, 
* The : at recently erected, are in accordance 
.., ~€ proportions of the Boston Music Hall, recently er y 
ner ut. Russell's views in this respect, being in length, width and height, respect- 
ely, 130, 78, and 65 feet. 
