parts of the same tender petal. "Pansies are for thoughts," even
more thoughts than poor Ophelia knew. An evening cloud that is
dense enough to absorb all the faster and weaker vibrations, leaving
only the stronger to come through, will be said to be red; because
the vibrations that produce the impression we have so named are
the only ones that have vigor enough to get through. It is like an
army charging upon a fortress. Under the deadly fire and fearful
obstructions six-sevenths go down, but one-seventh comes through
with the glory of victory upon its face.

Light comes in undulations to the eye, as tones of sound to the
ear. Must not light also sing? The lowest tone we can hear is made
by 16.5 vibrations of air per second; the highest, so shrill and
"fine that nothing lives 'twixt it and silence," is made by 38,000
vibrations per second. Between these extremes lie eleven octaves;
C of the G clef having 258-7/8 vibrations to the second, and its
octave above 517-1/2. Not that sound vibrations cease [Page 27] at
38,000, but our organs are not fitted to hear beyond those
limitations. If our ears were delicate enough, we could hear even up
to the almost infinite vibrations of light. In one of those
semi-inspirations we find in Shakspeare's works, he says--

"There's not the smallest orb which thou beholdest,
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubim.
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it."

And that older poetry which is always highest truth says, "The