The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-20
preston slightly curved--by the curve of larger
rcle than those which cause brown, red, yellow,

preston slightly curved--by the curve of larger
circle than those which cause brown, red, yellow,
&c. ...,.,t, r,.t .,.... r..,is Is, eE,r.
That the reader may more fully understand me,
will here state that include in the words special
organization, all the nervous structure in the brain
that is special to sight, or the appreciation of
color, as such, for the optic nerve without the
eyeball may feel light and darkness, as SUCH as in
the case of the Planaria--although It cannot look
and make a miniature picture of the external
world. agalisg nj 5 F. -,t.ga y.i ai lFsasra vi l4
II may seem to the reader, that this theory con-
POUNDS sensation with impression, and makes
them Identical. In answer, 1 offer that the sense
Of sight is intended to appreciate the motions and
their forms of the elastic fluid, not appreciable by
the other senses-,hat the feelings we have by
these impressions, Of like character with those
which follow the Impressions of like forms upon
any other part of the body-such as piercing and
blunt, sharp and dull, as in the case of sounds.
am aware that metaphysicans have said that the
color of an object bears no resemblance to the
form that produces it. In this they are mistaken.
We feel the form that makes the color, and we
feel nothing else Ii is the sensation OF the form,
Just as much as the sensation of APPOINT pressed
upon the hand is of the form of that point, only
is appreciated by special sense of different or
ganization. We feel the form of the wave pro-
ducing the color, we feel the form of anything
with the hand. If the wave is nearly straight in
impression upon the eye, we feel through the
eye this impression of nearly straight, which we
call blythe name fsome color. We feel colors, or in
other words, colors are feelings, sharp or dull, and
piercing, and fiat, &C., az feelings produced by
sharp, and dull, and piercing, and fiat bodies i'm
pressed upon the hand, or any other part of our
system. This is illustrated by the form of the
lines Of expression in the face and in the actions
Of the person under these sensations 1t is more
Familiarity exhibited in the case of sounds. The
motions Of the body, under the influence Of
the sounds of music, are in the lines of the
sounds impressing the sense of hearing-when the
perfect sense exists to appreciate the waves OF
sound. This can be easily proved, as the waves
of the particular sounds be ascertained by
sight. In all cases, think it may be affirmed,
that, when the senses are perfect the same line of
sound, Of color, Of gesture-and even of taste and
| smell, and heat, work in harmony OF lines in
the action of the person, and hence it is that the
most effective orator is he that suits the word to
the action, and that whatever he may desire others
| to feel, he must first feel and express himself
forming in the mind of the spectator, if perfectly
organized, the same line of personal action which
he himself exhibits. In regard to sensation,
would further observe, as we know nothing about
it but what we feel, and we feel it with the lines
of the impressng object, we are led 10 conclude
that the lines of impression and sensation are the
same.
have used the word primitive, instead of pri-
mary, used by writers on colors. | have used it
because l contend, that all impressions made by
forms, other than those of the peri ct semi-crce
and straight line, are parts of these, modified
by the other, although each wave, whatever may
be the degree of curve in its Impressions, forms
Immediately particular sensation, or color; yet
this sensations, or color, when anayzed in charac-
ter Of feeling, is certainly if less than semi-circle
forms it, composed of curved and straight, and so
far may be said to be derived from them their
elements. Primary signfying the first of sue
cesslon Of things, does not imply that the one is
derived from the other, and is properly used by
those who speak in reference to the colors, they
succeed each other in the prism; but it is not APP
plicable when the quality of the colors, or the ee
mentary means that produce are to be indicated.
J. r. G. MITTAG.