1896-97-] 3^9 



when the octave which is divided into 53 commas is seen in the 

 comma-distance of the intervals so measured, thus : — 



G8,Ag,B5,Cg,D 8, E 5, F 9, G. 

 Now observe that this in the horizontal series of the musical 

 octave confirms the analogy between musical and chemical 

 elements as far as the irregularity which Wurtz supposes to be 

 an imperfection in the increase of the atomic weights. Had 

 that increase been quite regular there would then have been 

 imperfection. The inexactitude of increase of vibrations and 

 atomic weights agrees. But take the vertical series of which 

 Wurtz says — " The elements resembling in the whole of their 

 proberties may be termed Homologous. The elements in the 

 vertical series are Natural Families? Now the elements of 

 the musical vertical series are even more so. 



m C D E F G A B C \ 

 \C D E F G A B C) 



And so on through the whole twelve octaves. The resemblance 

 in the vertical series here amounts to near identity. 



We have not, however, seen the whole of the features of 

 analogy between the elements of music and the chemical ele- 

 ments when we have seen Newlands' Law of Octaves ; we come 

 to what seemed to Mendelejeff a reason for departing from the 

 simple " Law of Octaves? and formulating " Long periods " 

 containing 2 octaves, and 3 il transitional elements " between 

 them — periods of 17 elements instead of only 7. Mendelejeff 

 observed that Potassium jq Hydrogens, the first element in the 

 third octave, had a move pronounced resemblance in properties 

 to Rubidium <?5than to Cuprum 63 ; Rubidium being the first 

 element in the fifth octave, and Cuprum the first in the fourth 

 octave. He therefore formulated the " long period" of 17 ele- 

 ments. 



(K. Ca. Sc. Ti. V. Cr. Mn. [Fe. Co. Ni.] Cu. Zn. Ga. Ge. As. Se. Br. \ 

 \ Rb. Sr. Y. Zr. Nb. Mo. ? [Ru. Rh. Pd.] Ag. Cd. In. Sn. Sb. Te. I. / 



Now although resemblance of properties is seen in the short 

 periods of octaves all the way down through the twelve ; yet 

 this new feature in the nature of things warrants the further 



