The New York herald., 1868-05-27
LECTURE on LIGHT.

An interesting lecture ON "Ligtn illustrated with
various new and remarkable experments was de-
livered by Professor Henry Morton at the Academy
OF Music, in Philadelphia, last Saturday evening.
The lecturer is by birth and descent o New Yorker,
grandson Of General Morton SO well and favoraby
known among the Knickerbockers Of former gen
eration and now holds the position of resident
secretary of the Franklin Institute and editor OF their
Journal while at the same time occupying the chair
Of chemistry and physics In the University of Penn
sylvania, an institution corresponding In its an
tiquity and character with our own Columbia Col
lege.
This lecture Is the fifth which has been delivered by
Prof. Morton in the same place, and had for its
special subject Sunlight" Notwithstanding the
stormy character OF the night the house densey
crowded. both in seats and standing room; all seats
had been sold several days before the lecture.
To give even an outline OF the subject as developed
by the lecturer during the two nours for which he
rveted the attention Of his audience would require
far too much space; sufllce 1t to say that the
nature Of the sun, the source of his heat
and the properties OF his light were most
nuenty and clearly explained, the various
points being illustrated by series OF pictures
projected with wonderful briancy on an immense
screen, forty feet Square, covering the front of the
stage. The thing that most impressed the audience
was the number, beauty, success and promptitude
Of the numerous experimental Illustrations intro
duced throughout the lecture. An able corps of as
slstans, under the direction Of Mr. Coleman Sellers,
Vice President Of the Franklin Institute an eminent
American mechanical engineer, and famous both in
this country and Europe for his inventions and pro.
ductions as an amateur photographer, placed at the
lecturers hand operated at his signal everything
at the moment 1t was required.
The lecturer placed himself and apparatus on q
platform secured to one Of the stage traps and then
was raised to great heightabove the foor, at which
elevation he burned in the compound bowpipe o
pece Of thick steel wire rope. The fountain of scin-
tillating sparks and drops of melted steel-which
descending in q broad sheet some fifteen feet In
height poured upon the stage ana rolled in torrent
OF fiery HAN towards the footlights-wasa sight never
to be forgotten. wheel five feet in diameter, sup
porting electric tubes, rotated while flashes OF
electric fire from tho largest induction coil In the
world, belonging to the University OF Pennsvlvania,
were passed through, producing dazzling star Of
constantly changing coored rays.
The drop curtain descending for few moments
rose again. displaying brilliant palace scene, lilo.
minated by numerous lime lights judic ously placed.
figures in costumes representing the coors OF the
rainbow and bearing banners with brilliant devices,
These, taking positions, formed u tableau equal Id
brillancy and beauty OF general effect to anything
we have ever seen upon the stage At a signal the
white light was eXtingushed and It's place supplied
by pure yellow light equally bright when every trace
OF color disappeared, and the entire phalanx became
CHASTITY company of spectres bearing banners Of
white and black The means for producing this
yellow light is device of Professor Morton's, en-
tirely new and eminenty eficent-in fact the entire
house was Illuminated with 1t fro the stage, SO
that the same wonderful change manifest In the
faces and costumes of the audience.
These are but a few OF the experiments shown, and
repeated ana enthusiastic applause testned tho
natural delight OF the audience.