366 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



character exactly called for in that place in the great evolution 

 of the Chemical Elements. 



Thus, then, seven elements in each of the twelve octaves, 

 and three transitional elements linking the octaves in pairs, 

 after the first so-called " typical pair," that is between the five 

 pairs which follow it, make 99 elements, to which when we add 

 the Hydrogen which is the unit and standard of atomic weight, 

 we have Mendelejeffs 100 elements. So we are encouraged by 

 this most profound view of elemental classification to anticipate 

 quite a number of elements which have as yet been withheld 

 from our ken ; and most of them must be of great atomic 

 weight. 



Allow me at this point to develop a little way this beautiful 

 analogy between the musical and the chemical elements. 

 The first thing is to observe that in the chemical elements the 

 great Builder has set Hydrogen as the unit by which the relative 

 atomic weights of the other elements might be measured. 

 Hydrogen is the one. Now there is no known element whose 

 atomic weight is 2 Hydrogens ; nor 3 ; nor 4 ; nor 5 ; nor 6 ; 

 we spring from Hydrogen 1 to Lithium 7 ; then the octave 

 goes on with Beryllium 9, Boron, 11, Carbon 12, Nitrogen 14, 

 Oxygen 16, and Fluorine 19. We have, as it were, an octave 

 space between H. 1 and Li. 7 with no element in it. Now it is 

 very remarkable that in the genesis of the musical elements the 

 same thing occurs. The starting point of the genesis is the 

 root of under chord, for every scale has an under, a centre, and 

 an upper chord. Now F is the root of the under or subdomi- 

 nant chord of the scale of C major. The genesis of the scale is 

 a geometric operation ; we multiply the vibrations which pro- 

 duce Fby the primes 2, 3, and 5, this produces the octave the 

 fifth, and third of the under chord F A C F ' ; the centre chord is 

 produced by multiplying C by the same primes, and we produce 

 C E G C ; and multiplying G the fifth of C, as we multi- 

 plied Cthe fifth of F, by the same primes, 2, 3, and 5, we produce 

 G B D G, and then we have the elements of the musical 

 system. Now tne thing we are called at this stage to observe 



