PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE SUN AND MOON. 721 the Of this, but if these barrack rooms were artificially mind. But he quotes for us from Dr. Mosekept at the same temperature, the great dif- ley and others some curious cases of an apference must have been rather one of light parent influence of the moon, probably than of heat. In the latter of these pas- exercised through the atmosphere, since it sages we have apparently a real case of the took effect as much at new moons, when the specific effect caused by excluding light, and moon gives no light, as at full moons, -on light alone, on animal life, for the closing of hæmorrhages of the lungs, on which it is of the eyelids could only affect the general course not at all unnatural that special conhealth through the optic nerve; but then ditions of the atmospheric tides, by increaseven here the general sanitary effect of ing or lightening the pressure on the blood light on the body, as distinguished from that vessels of the lungs, should have a very conon the mere visual apparatus, is not exclud- siderable effect. The most curious of these ed, though the evidence that creatures kept cases seems to be the following (which wholly in the dark, no less than those pre- certainly does not seem to belong properly vented from opening their eyes, fatten fast- to a treatise on "the influence of light :") er than others, seems to show that the influence of light generally is to excite, and that its exclusion leaves the organization "Dr. Moseley remarks that the greater hæmormore at rest for the processes of mere assim-rhages from the lungs or those of plethora, like ilation. It would be worth inquiring what in their natural course by peculiar circumstanall periodical attacks of this kind (undisturbed effect, if any, is produced on the general ces), obey the influence of the moon. bodily condition of blind men by the quies- he says, he has had many proofs. That there cence of the optic nerve. From general are not more authenticated by others is owing,* experience, we should be apt to doubt he believes, to the theory on which the fact dewhether it is in any degree the same as that pends not being sufficiently known to prevent here supposed to take effect on the lower the result escaping unnoticed. In another poranimals. The usual impression certainly is tion of his work he remarks that most of the that the organization of the blind increases patients whom he had attended in the spring of in acuteness in all the other senses in pre- much affected in the head at every new and full year 1777 during attacks of fever were cise proportion to the loss they have susmoon. He refers to the case of a man who tained in the privation of sight; and, of had a severe attack of haemoptysis always at course, if the general activity of the mental the moon's full. When speaking of the mode organization is not diminished, there would of treating these hæmorrhagic conditions, he not be any probability of a greater stimulus to the mere assimilating processes. What we miss so much in Dr. Forbes Winslow's account of this interesting subject is any attempt to isolate for us carefully the spe-vised to leave England during the winter and cific effects of light. He tells us, for in- to reside in the south of France. Whilst there stance, of the bad effects of mining work, his attacks came on periodically, obeying faithand of cellar work, and so forth, but here fully the principal changes of the moon. Dr. the absence of effectual ventilation is proba- Moseley considers this to be one of the most de bly a far more important incident than the cisive examples of lunar influence recorded in absence of light. He tells us nothing what- medical history. The following particulars of ever of the diseases (if any) mental or bodi- his illness deserve attentive consideration. On ly peculiar to the blind. He tells us exFebruary 14, 1786, when near Toulon, hemorceedingly little of either good or bad effects rhage came on; the moon was at its full on the produced by light which can be clearly sep-in Provence, he had another attack. There preceding day. On February 29, when ab Aix,.. arated from more general causes. In short, was a new moon on the 28th. The moon. was. his book throws little explicit light on any again at its full on the 13th of April, and on the one subject, and is little more than a rather 15th the patient had another attack of hæ-. curious account of the various impressions moptysis. A new moon appeared on the 29th of and superstitions on the subject of solar and the same month, and on the 26th, when at lunar influences, most of which science Tain upon the Rhone, he had a relapse. At: has not confirmed, and a very few rather Châlones, in Burgundy, there was a full moon vague conclusions which it has confirmed. on the 13th of May, and on the 14th his hæmor. rhage returned. At Dijon, June 11, when the. tack. On July 11, at Paris, the moon was moon was again at its full, he had another atagain at its full. At this lunar period the hæmorrhage returned. Again, whan at Yar mouth, in the Isle of Wight, on August 9, the Dr. Forbes Winslow himself has evidently little or no belief in any special influence of the moon's light on mental disease, except so far as he considers all excess of light, especially if it prevents sleep, exciting to the FOURTH SERIES. LIVING AGE. VOL. V. advises the physician to be watchful in every case of the kind when the moon's influence was considered to be greatest on the earth. He from hemorrhage of the lungs, who was ad cites the history of a gentleman who suffered 150. moon was then at its full. The hæmoptysis | And, turning, she perceived approaching near returned. Dr. Moseley alluded to the remarkable fact that the last three attacks of hæmorrhage from the lungs came on at the instant the moon appeared above the horizon.” If this curious relation between the atmospheric tides and the hemorrhages of the lungs could be traced in any sufficient number of cases to exclude the possibility of mere coincidence, a mechanical influence of great importance on the physiology of the body would have been discovered which would affect seriously many other branches of medicine. Dr. Forbes Winslow's essay, however, is faulty in suggesting so much and establishing so little, on the curious and interesting subject with which he has dealt. THE COURTSHIP OF PIETY. 1. BLUE-EYED MISS PIETY, walking sedately, To battle with the world that does me wrong, 2. Who knoweth not the gentle English maid, In clean trim gown of academic shade, And antique proverbs silvery on her tongue? Who hath not heard how wise men have pursued her, Sung in her praise, and wooed her? How they have built her temples in the land, Mad for her eyes of heaven's profoundest blue; And how, tho' many a wooer seeks her hand, She smileth on so few ? And how, altho' she is divinely fair, In vestal black she clothes her vestal limbs, And lists to dwell a maid, apart in prayer, Teaching the little children everywhere How to sing sweet old hymns. A dapper little man in broadcloth guise, A little hammer gript he while he went, said he ; Miss," "My name is SCIENCE, you remember me ? At this the maiden turned to fly, not heeding; But the Professor seized her hand, proceeding: 4. "So cold, so coy! why is it, sweet, that still What should a lady do with demonstrations ? How? Incompatible? Ah no, be mine! Wedded together, we should rule the nations. Our compact shall be legal, fair, and strict: To grace what church you please you shall be free, Your fancies I will never contradict; And, hark you! if we ever disagree On questions that affect this mortal sphere, 'Twill be my best endeavour, do not doubt it, To let the people whom we govern hear As little as is possible about it.” 5. With terrible look for one so beautiful, I pity those who link their lots with thee, Then SCIENCE tried to speak, but in his eyes, Less used to sunlight than the dark, was shed A sudden sunbeam from the summer skies 6. Yet ere her pensive foot had wander'd far, From the Fortnightly Review. MUSIC THE EXPRESSION OF CHARACTER. THERE are few things that are at once so interesting and so difficult as the analysis of the mental phenomena which exist in connection with musical performances of all kinds. Next to the love of personal adornmeut, there is no other gratification, in which mind and sense each plays its part, that is so universal as the passion for music. It is found strong and influential in the lowest savage races, in men of the highest culture and the noblest gifts in civilized society, and in connection with every variety of personal character, of individual tastes and pursuits, and of physical "Ach, lieber Gott! mine love, and art thou temperament. Setting aside the balf-legen Beloved shape, for ever wandering; But now, upon the white Moon's threshold fair I saw thee beckoning. And-leider! yester-eve thy phantom face The luminous space of Saturn's rings did gladden within thy nebulous embrace Gesund mich baden. O ever-roaming, insubstantial love. On earth, on air, in the blue gulfs above, Thy breath full oft I feel, yet seldom thee. Over all worlds glimmers thy footstep bright, Leaving a blinding agony of light. But would thou wert for ever near, to set I am not I, Thou art not Thou, and yet I love thee, Love, for ever! 8. thee gone For PIETY had stolen from his side, dary accounts of the musical gifts of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, in more modern times we have distinguished men, so unlike as Henry the Eighth, Luther, Louis the Fourteenth of France, Frederick the Great of Prussia, and the great. Duke of Wellington, all sensitive to the musical influences in a high degree, in contrast with its almost complete absence in a mind in many respects most sensitive and highly organized that of the first Napoleon; and in the large majority of our greatest modern English statesmen. The contrasts in the case of poets are as striking. The sensibility to musical sounds in Shakespeare and Milton was exquisite; in Goethe it was comparatively feeble, and rather the result of a deliberate exercise of the reflective and selfinspecting faculty, than the true spontaneous action of genuine sensibility. Still more was the perception of musical beauty in Wordsworth and Keble little better than an act of the intellect, allied with a certain fondness for melody when associated with pleasant thoughts and memories. In Cowper, the refined, the sensitive, and the lover of all moral and natural harmony, the musical faculty scarcely existed; while in Rogers, man of the world, banker and minor poet, and the most caustic of talking satirists, it was strong and vivid to extreme old age. The same variety exists in ordinary people, but still with the qualification that very few persons are altogether destitute of all capacity for being pleased or affected by music. The number of the absolutely destitute is, indeed, so small, that, taken in company with our present improved notions on matters of art, scarcely any educated man will avow that he cares nothing whatever for music. It is almost as dangerous to imply this in talking to a stranger, as it is to suggest that he is incapa-rival; and I have known various persons, The love of music, again, and the capaci- on the contrary, is music actually what it is At first sight there is undoubtedly a good meaning. When he speaks of walking, or portion, is a movement called a minuet. In running, or flying, it is impossible to suppose the lists of popularly accepted sacred music, that he wishes to convey an idea of sitting too, there are not a few pieces which most of still. He may speak with rapid utterance, the English music-loving public delights in as and yet be discoursing about repose or sleep, being truly pure, elevating, and " Scriptuand be perfectly sure of being understood. ral;" and yet it turns out that these are nothEven when he aims at conveying ideas of a ing but airs from Handel's operas, adapted to more abstract and metaphysical kind, he Biblical words, and sung in all simplicity in may speak to listeners who have some churches and cathedrals, and in Sabbatarian sort of clue to the meaning he wishes to reading-rooms on Sunday evenings, when convey. If he employs the term " analogy," nothing but "Sacred Music is considered in a room full of chance acquaintances, lawful. How can music, it is asked, be any probably a good many would think he thing more than a mere sensuous gratificameant simply "likeness," but no one would tion of the ear, when the same melody which think he meant absolute "difference." And is a charming love-song, as "Dove sei, amato all this, because spoken language is nothing bene," on the stage, proves an edifying sacred more than a vast collection of articulate song in the shape of "Holy, holy, Lord? sounds, which the whole race who speak it and when an air, sung to the words "Lord, have agreed to associate with certain defi- remember David," proves quite as delightful nite ideas. In musical sounds, on the con- in its original shape, as "Rendil sereno, in trary, whether those of melody or harmony, the opera of Sosarmes? Then, too, there are nothing of this kind exists. There are no those curious adaptations of Roman Cathodefinitely agreed upon successions or combi- lic hymn tunes to Protestant purposes which nations of sounds which necessarily recall are so popular in this country. If there is certain clearly understood ideas to the mind. a flagrant contrariety between an operatic We cannot express love by a major third, love ditty and a verse from the Psalms, what or anger by a minor third, or describe the is to be said for the innate truth of expresskies by arpeggios, or gardens and fields by sion of hymn tunes that do duty equally a diminished seventh. The means by which to the satisfaction of singers as expressions musical combinations are made to express of the Catholic doctrines of Transubstantiaanything at all are so subtle and difficult to tion and the worship of the Virgin Mary, handle, that it is only to the sympathetic and of the extremest Lutherianism and Calunderstanding that their existence can be vinism of Dissenting congregations? made comprehensible. To the ordinary Low Church and Nonconformist compilaobserver their various qualities seem a pure tions of hymn tunes, few are greater favourhypothesis, and to have no objective ex-ites than the melodies known as " Tantum istence whatsoever. In Ergo," ," "Alma," and "The Sicilian MariFurther, it is not to be denied that vocal ner's Hymn." Yet their original words are music, when stripped of its words, loses that as utterly Roman in their meaning as any precise definitiveness of meaning which ap- hymns in the Missal or the Breviary. And pears to be its great charm when sung by a the latest popular adaptation is the oddest competent performer. The music itself is of all. In Dr. Monk's "Hymns, Ancient said to have no real meaning of its own, be- and Modern" is a tune which, with an amucause it is incapable of conveying precise in-sing appropriateness, is termed "Innocents," tellectual conceptions without the aid of articulate speech. So, again, it is argued that there is no appreciable difference between sacred and secular music, and that it is by mere conventionalism that some compositions are called religious, and others non-religious. What is the difference between sacred and secular music, we are asked, except that one is grave, slow, solemn, and apt to fall into the minor key? Strip it all alike of its words, and nobody can tell which pieces are fit for the church and which for the concertroom. The very phraseology of musical terms, we are reminded, betrays the inherent unmeaningness of all music. Handel's oratorio Samson is certainly a sacred composition, but here, in its introductory instrumental which is nothing more or less than a somewhat vulgar "Litany of the Blessed Virgin." very popular, like a great deal of other bad music, among English Catholics. Seeing, then, that one may go any Sunday into a London Anglican Church, and hear a congregation singing with delight a half-dancing sort of a tune to a Calvinistic "Olney hymn," and then cross the street and listen to the same strain sung with equal gusto to the invocation, "Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis," with what reasonableness can it be contended that music is anything more than a pleasant succession of sounds, destitute of all real expressiveness of their own, and waiting to be galvanized into temporary life by the addition of some sort of words, operatic |