Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05

An Interesting Correlation of Physi-
cal Phenomena.
From the Wichita Eagle
A representative Of the Eagle learning
that Judge w. T. Buckner had some novel
ideas regarding the properties of sound
saw him yesterday and asked for an ex-
pianation.
We'll, it's like this said the judge
THE idea that color should be the counter
part of sound, is no more singular than
many other phenomena in nature. The
analogy between melodious sounds and
beautiful colors appears so natural, tie
conception so appropriate and the cornbi-
ration so pleasing to the sensibilities, tina
their association would seem to be intended
by the laws of affinity.
THE connection between music and color
is so manifest that some musicians claim
that the vibrations of certain musical
sounds correspond to certain colors.
Based upon that principle, a musical In
strument could be SO constructed that with
every sound its appropriate sound color
would be visibly presented, and so the
striking OF every note would flash its cor
responding color and every chord its COM
bination. Thus while the melody delighted
the ear, there would be presented to the
eye, in simmer of beauty, a profusion
of harmonious colorS and shades which
corresponding sounds and passing away
with the sounds give place to the next
combination, to be succeeded by the next,
and SO on.
There is a sensation Of light from sound.
ard as musical notes reflect color so do
vocal sounds. 1 have always associated
the sounds made in the pronunciation of
words, and particularly names, with coiors
and as the matter appeared interesting, i
have given it some study. 1t appears that
vocal sounds bear relation to one an
other, similar to that between colors. And
as the intimately connected organs of
hearing and vision are so often called into
joint action in relation to the same SUBJ
ject, and combine with such a nicely of
precision in conveying sensations, it would
seem that stimulus to the one set of or
gans also acts upon the other, and that
as sound strikes the sensory nerve of the
ear, the corresponding optical nerve being
excited to action. also receives an impress
sion of the sound
And as the waves of sound acting
directly on the nerves of vision. impress
through them the sensation Of light, the
optical impression of the sound is that of
light refracting through a prism, color
in harmony with the sound, each particu-
lar sound presenting its own peculiar color
or shade. The general color of each sound,
o. combination of sounds, appears also
shaded or tinged with two colors. The
combination of sounds forming word,
are, one principal and two shading colors
WHICH, uhe SpScttuii, pieiiu iHto edcn
other along the lines of connection, re-
sembing in the manner Of combination the
colors in the rainbow.
Hence the speaking of a single word
reflects as many combinations of colors as
the number of vocal sounds made in pro-
nouncing the word, and the various COM
bnations made by the different sounds
in mediately blend and form one combina-
ton, and so the color of the word becomes
tile composite of all the sound colors, made
in pronouncing it, and in the same manner
do the colors of two OF more words COM
bine.
Every name presents ons principal and
two shading colors, and as there are more
than 5000 combinations of colors and
shades, the name colors are as varied as