New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-16


condition Of the central lObes. All forms occur, from
merely turning in bed to walking talking writing &e
And in somnambusm degree Of activity by the
cerebral lobe may be associated with active state Of
the sensOrium, in dreaming. some degree OF activity
in the sensorun may be combined with al active state
Of the cerebral lobes. In the socaled state OF som
nambulism in which acts performed which involve
considerable exercise Of the mental powers. the simply
somnambunstic state must be combined with vivid
dreaming. In this combination 40 many OF the facu
ties or less active. 30 few II any, are COM
petey at rest that the individual is awake than
asleep.
PHoToLoGIcAL.
The distinguished DR.. Draper Of the New-York Uni
versity in late discourse thus speaks of the impres
si0ns made upon us by light: If efter the eyehas
have been closed for sometime as when we hrst a"hho
in the morning suddenly and steadfastly gaze at
brightly. illuminated object and then quickly close tne
lids again phantom image Is perceived in the ihne
darkness before We may satisfy ourselves that tns
is not fiction of the imagination. but Ieshly ior
many details that had not time to ldchtiy IN tnc
mouentary glance may be contemplated at our leisure
in the phantom. We may thus make out the patteiA
Of such an object as lace curtain hans,ns a. ~ ~
dow or branches of a tree beyond. By degrees the
image becomes less and less dstinct IN minute or
two il has disappeared 1t seems 10 nave nuchuy W
aoat away in the vacancy D9iore u.s. % topjsbps
Now fhe condition that regulates the vanishing phan
tom of images the retna 49, that Whsn they nave ue-
cned in vrOr to less than l-6ith OF Ae intensity tney
have while In presence Of the object that formed them
tbey cease to disturb the sight This principle Is MUS
traied when candlefame is held opposite to The sun
or any light having more than o. times lts own Dil u,
iancy 1t then 10 be visible. The most exact OF
Nh known methods for measuring hgh-thht by the ex-
tincton Of shadowss application OF the same Prin'
ciple. ,, =. .., coh =.
duration of mpressOns on the rctina II the eye demon
strates thn tho effect Of external influences on nerve
vcles is not necessarily transiiory IL may oontinue
for long me In this there IS correspondence 10 le
duration the emergcnce, the extinction OF impressions
on the Photographic preparation Thus have seen
landscapes and architectural views taken IN nleAeo
! l.. ~.
images coming out after the long voyage IN al thelr
proper FORMS end in all their contrast OF light and
shade. The photograph had forgotten notnng. III had
equally preserved the contour OF tho everlasting noun
tains and the passing smoke Of n bandit IRE.
Are there then, contained in the brain moro perma
neniy In the Tetna more transienty The vestges oil
Impressions tbat have been gathered by the seusory
oreansi DO these constitute the basis OF memOfJ-the
mind contemplating such pictures oil past things ana
events rs have been committed TO her custody Ia her
silent galleries there hung micrographs ol the lhS
and the dead Of scenes that We have visited. oi III
cilelts in which We have borne part are these
abiding impressions mere signal marks IKE tue letters
of book which impart ideas ~ tie mind or are they
actual incoaceivably smaller than those
made for us by artists in which by the aid Of micro
scope We can see IN space nos Digger 'hah pm Ao'
a whole family-group at glance.
1.-The phautom images OF the retina, as have remark
ed are not pcrceptibe TO the light OF day Those 'Gt
exist in the sensoum in like manner do noe attract our
attention long the sensOry organs are IN vigorous
operation and occupied in brngingnCw impressions In
But when these organs become weary and du. or when
reveIies or sleep the latent appariIons have their
yyduess increased by the contrast. and obtTude them
selves on the mind For the same reason they occupy
US in he.derium Of feyers and doubtless also IN the
solemn moments OF death. During q third part Of our
lives we are withdrawn from external intucnce5-hear
ing and sight and the other seEses are Inactive but the
never sleeping mind that pensive, that yeied enehant
ress in her mysterious retirement looks over the auhro
types she has nttractedambrotypes. for they are u
fading iInpressons-end combining them together as
they chance ~ occur. weayes IRON them WEB Oh
-, IL. Inf. nsss1f .ffr
ization Of impating TO Us suggestions on some
Of the most profound topics with which We can be con-
cerned. operates equally on the sayase ~ on tee
civilized man. furnishing 10 both conceptions OF world
In which all IL unsubsiaDtal il rYelousy extracts
from the vetges of the impressions o the past over
whelming proofs Of the reality Of the future md
gathering lis power from what might seem 10 be mot
unlikely source il insenshly leads us, matter who or
where we may be- to profound belief in the immortal
and imperishabe. from phantoms that have scarcely
made their before they ready TO vanish
away"
RAPID TRANSIT THROUGH SEw-YoRE.
Nh FTsuEa opened the discussion on the best mode
OF rapid transit through the city with written opinion
of which only report the leading poinis After
examining the question Of grades involved In oonstruc
ton of the proposed undergro9nd railway the cost %
Inept TO its Six millions strikes the imagina-
tion and makes six thousand dollars look ridiculous.
iions are exciting and there !. disposition To De,
Ieve In n scheme 80 respectable But the five miles VIII
never be made for six millions ol dollars Even III IN
Gland where work OF all kinds Ii much cheaper tun'
,talo of 20
much The Box Tunnel on tho Great Western Rail
way cost 600 per mile the S6twOod tunnel on the
South Eastern Gs 400 Der mile; tIe hSsy G Tunnel % On
when we allow for finished masonry and for the differ
ence of wages and price Of materials two millions Of
doafs per mile will be the more probable cost of the
tunnel under this city. "a.
n will moi do TO assume that drift gravel is the only
ground 10 be cut through ard it Is awelknown fact
that tunnels sometimes cost two OF three times more
than the estimates. As financial specustion this may
10 al bsr imuroypnput
conpsny can pack passengers they are now packed
in the street ears and drive them by steam, but II
every passenger Is TO have seat ana improvements m
are carried on above ground to draw portion Of the
travel to the street railways this tunnel "I mol be
profitable a city passenger line. -
Twenty miles an hour is the speed proposed. ms is
foo slow for trains; IS miles an hour is wanted To
s0p and start trains at that speed VIII nysye tho e1-
pendture of great power the exhaustion oi great VOL
umes Of steam and gas, and enormous wear ana teaf
The momentum Of train at 80 miles an hour would I'M
IL 3OI feet high add 10 this the rotary motion OF the
wheels and axles and the whole momentum would run
tho train a mile. Mr.. A. L. Smith, Superintendent Of
the Hudson River Railway Is Of opinion that II costs
81 25 10 stop and start OF Its passenger trans and
that there is loss 10 the Company from stopping al
several of the lower stations, which loss borne be-
ceuse people of influence insist on accommodation.
Tho LoWeI Railway Company, with lighter trains ana
lower speed computed that 30 cents was the cost OF each
stop and start II would seem inprsctcaple ana aah.
10 allow this road TO be used for the heavy trains
from the three great railways which enter the city from
the north and between these steam carr ior car
rying city passengers But 1t does not appear tha'
either OF The companies owning these railways has any
thing TO do with this underground scheme II may be
that the proposed branches ~ the stations THESE ta
avs are he built by the tunnel company for the pur
pose Of securing the passengers from abroad Ihc
speaker regarded the tunnel plan as the poorest
the improvements proposed for increasing the Red o'
travel The other plan. explained before the fOiyteeh'
mic at a previous meeting. for au elevated railway!
pasng over the streets at such hight as not 10
interfere with travel he believed wonld be better IL
such great speed needed ON the streets steam
ears on the street rails steam caIrJges Oh the s.et
pavement would be better than the underground plan;
dark passage poisoned with earbonic ACID ana huhid
Will yapor is moi tit for civilized men TO trave In.
In regard 10 road surfaces there has not been an lu
nroyement since the Roman Empire. The modern
Innnpnti,n the hInken.HIOne eystem OF Machdhm and