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SPECTROPIA;
hit.

TJ

R P II 1 S N G
I

PECTKAL

L LU S IO N S

SHOW UNO

GHO

T 8 E

V E K T H E B E,
GOLOITR.

AND OF ANY

WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK:
PV
P.

LIS

II

E D

B
54

M E S G G R EGO R Y,
.

No

BROADW A Y.
M.nCCCLXlV.

INTRODUCTION

The following

Illusions

are

founded

on

two well-known facts;

namely,

the

persistency of impressions, and the production of complementary colours on, the

retina.

The explanations

are

divided

into

two

parts.

The

first

consists

of

directions for seeing the spectres.

as
a

The

siccond, a

brief

and popular,

as

well

scientific, description

of the use
in

manner

in

which the spectres are produced,

to

and

is

intended for the than

is

of those

who may wish

Part.

know more

of this

subject

contained

the

first

As

an

apology for the apparent disregard of taste and fine art in the
as

plates, such

figures are selected

best serve

the purpose lor which they are

intended.

DIRECTIONS.

To

see

the spectres,

it.

is

only necessary to look steadily at the dot, or asterisk, which

is

to be found

on each of the
well illuminated

plates, for

about a quarter of
artificial

minute, or while counting about twenty, the plate being

by either
still

or day light.

Then turning the eves

a

to

the

ceiling,

the wall,

the sky, or better

to a white sheet

hung on the wall of

will

darkened room (not totally dark), and

looking rather steadily at any one point, the spectre

in

soon begin to

make

its

appearance, increasing
it

intensity,

and

then
in

gradually vanishing, to

re-appear and
being-

again vanish

will

continue to-do

so

several

times

succession,

each reappearance
to

fainter than

the one preceding.

Winking
appearance

the eyes,

or passing a
re,

linger rapidly
if

and

fro before

them, will frequently hasten the

of the spec!

especially

the plate has been strongly illuminated.

will

Those who use gaslight

described,
to extemporise a
size

find

it

convenient,

after

having

looked

at

the

plate

as

above

darkened room by having the

gaslight,

turned low.

The
and
the

of the spectres will be determined by the distance of the observers from the plate,
surface surface

from
nearer

the

against which they are seen

;

being larger the neare'

see

the plate, and smaller

long-sighted,
if

the

so

that

short-sighted

persons will

them larger than

both are equidistant, from the surface against which they are seen.

Should any one

not.

be able to see the spectre's features, the reason will be, either that the

eyes have been allowed to wander, or the head to move, while looking at the plate.

Many
their eyes

persons will see some one

coloured
all

spectre

better than the others

in

consequence of

not being equally sensitive to

colours
in

colours.
in

The

the

plate

will

be

found to reverse themselves

of
the

the

spectres, as explained

elsewhere, the

spectres

always

appearing
will

complementary colour

to

that

of the

plate from

which

it

is

obtained.

Thus, blue

appear orange, and orange blue, &c.

LIST OF THE PLATES.

PLATE
Tins winged figure of Victory

I.

will give a white spectre by Artificial light (rather green by daylight), the red wreaths green, the green roses red, and the orange stars blue.

PLATE

II.

This black figure will give a white spectre.

PLATE

III.

This will give a dark spectre.

PLATE

IV.

This green figure will uive a red spectre.

PLATE
And

V.

this red figure will give a

green spectre.

PLATE

VI.

PLATE
And

VII.

this blue figure an orange spectre.

PLATE

VIII.

This purple hand will give a yellow spectn

PLATE
And

IX.

this yellow figure of Victory will give a purple spectre.

PLATE
The
face of this figure will

X.

come out green

in the spectre, the

garment

red,

and the cloud white.

PLATE
This black skeleton will

XI.

make a white

spectre.

PLATE

XII.

This skeleton will also give a white spectre, with a yellow mantle.

PLATE

XIII.

This figure and broom will give a yellow spectre, cloak and hat red, and

moon

white.

PLATE
These figures

XIV.
and yellow spectres.
,

will give green

PLATE XV.
This Cupid will give a rose-coloured spectre, with

bow and arrow

yellow.

PLATE
This
is

XVI.
which
will

a rainbow with

colours

reversed, the spectre of

be

found a good resemblance of

nature, especially

when

seen on a cloudy sky.

The colours of the

spectres

different eyes, but also

produced by these figures will not only be subject to a slight variation by the degree in which the plates are illuminated while being looked at.
is

in

All the spectres will appear life-sized if the observer

about sixteen feet from the surface against which

they are seen.

If

mu di

further, they will appear colossal.

POPULAR AND SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION.

It

is

a curious fact that, in this age of scientific research, the absurd

follies

of spiritualism should
affect our minds,

find

an increase of
the

supporters
of

but

mental

epidemics

seem at certain seasons to

is

and one of

oldest

these

moral

afflictions

witchcraft
spirit-rapping
in
all

once

more

prevalent

in

this

nineteenth century, under the contemptible

professor of these

forms

of

and table-turning.
arts,
is

The modern
bent
only on

impostures,

like

his

predecessors

such disreputable

raising the contents of the pockets of the most gullible portion of humanity, and not the spirits of

the departed, over which, as

lio

he well knows, notwithstanding

his

profane

assumption, he can

have

power.

One

thing

we hope

in

some measure to further

spirits,

in the

following pages,

is

the extinction of the

in
its

superstitious belief that apparitions arc actual

by showing some of the many ways

which
being

our senses

may

be deceived, and that,

in fact,

no so-called ghost has ever appeared, without

referable either to mental or physiological deception, or, in those instances where several persons have

seen a spectre at the same time, to natural objects, as in the case mentioned by Dr. Abererombie, in
his

work on

"

The

Intellectual

Powers

''

"

whole

ship's

company were thrown

into the

utmost

consternation, by the apparition of a cook

who had
gait,

died a few days before.

He was

distinctly seen
alive,

walking ahead of
having one of

the ship,

with a

peculiar

by which he was

distinguished

when
it

from

his legs shorter

than the other.

On

steering the ship toward the object,

was found

to be a piece of floating wreck."

A
indistinct,

ghost, according to the general

descriptions of

those

who

fancy they have been favoured

;

with a sight of one, appears to be of

a pale phosphorescent white, or bluish white colour

easily seen
its

usually

and so transparent that objects are

through

it.

When
is

moving

it

glides in a

peculiar manner, the legs not being necessary to

locomotion.

All the senses arc more or

in the case of individuals

less subject to deception,

ill

but the eye

pre-eminently so
is

especially

who

are in

health, because the sensibility of the retina

then generally

much

exalted, as

is

also the imagination.

We

may

divide

tlie

illusions to

which the
itself,

sense of

sight

is

liable eye.

into

four

kinds.

First,

mental, or those arising

in

the brain
Third,

and only referred to the

Second, those

produced

by the structure of the

retina.

eye.

those arising from

the impressions of the

foregoing.

outward objects on the

It
is

Fourth, those produced

shall

by various

combinations of

only the second

and third we
it

have occasion to touch upon.

But before we can

well understand their nature,

will

be necessary to get a slight knowledge of the structure of the eye, and some idea respecting

the nature of light.

With perhaps
skill

the exception of Hie ear, the eye

is

the

most wonderful example of the

it

infinite

of the Creator.

more

exquisite
to

piece

of

mechanism

is

impossible for the

human mind
a
of
horizontal
its

conceive.

The

annexed
will

diagram (Fig. 1) of
give

section

of

this

organ

better

idea
It

general
seen to

structure than whole pages of letter-press.

consist

will

be

of

a globe

of

three

envelopes or

coats, lenses

which are kept

:

distended by three transparent humours or

(c),

the aqueous
(a)
is

the crystaline (/), and the vitreous (g).

The outer coat

dense, white,

and

fibrous.

Tn front of the eye it gives place to a

perfectly transparent one, called the cornea (d).

The next

coat,

the choroid (b),

Fig.
1.

is

vascular, very black on

it
is

its

internal surface, in
(/*)

order that light falling on

reflected.

through the pupil

called the
iris (i),

may
its

not be
colour
for the

The

pupil

is

an opening through a diaphragm which

It has the

from

varying

in different individuals.

power of expanding and contracting the

(c), or third

pupil,

purpose of regulating the supply of light to the retina

on the choroid.
It
is

and

last coat

which

lies

immediately
carefully
it

transparent, very

complex, and the

only part of the eye

we

shall

consider.

The following diagram

a
is

(Fig. 2) represents a section of

limitary
is

a -lonnoo oooo

magnified 250 diameters,

called the

membrane, and
vitreous
;

forms

its

innermost

surface,

or that which
layer
of
optic
in

next the

humour
layer of
retinal

b consists of

the
;

nerve fibres

is

grey nerve
blood-vessels

cells

d,

two layers
;

which the principal

layers of granular

are

spread out

c,

two

matter
will

/, Jacob's

membrane, or layer of rods and cones.

of

Fig. 3

give

some idea
the

the

supposed

connexion

between these

various
Fig. 3.

parts,
2.
it

same

letters referring to the

same parts as

in

Fig.

When
y

a ray of light enters the eye,

passes through the

at.

humors or

lenses,

and

is

formed

them into an image, on the choroid, of the object looked

The

extremities of the rods and cones

have the power of appreciating the image there formed, and convey

it

up through the ultimate parts

of the retina (Fig. 2), thence along the optic nerve fibres to the brain.

We

are inclined to regard

the extremities of the rods and coues as the true seat of considerable distance between the
retinal blood-vessels

perception, in consequence of

observing a

and the choroid, when performing Parkinje's

experiment,*
at about

This experiment consists in passing a lighted candle slowly to and fro before the eyes,
nose,

two or three inches from the

when

the retinal vessels will exhibit themselves

before

the

observer not unlike branching trees.

They may be

seen by daylight, by passing the large teeth of au ordinary

comb

slowly backwards

and forwards

before

the

eye

whilst looking on a smooth sheet of paper, or upon the

sky.

Fig. 4 represents those of the left eye, as seen

by

candlelight.

The spot marked k

(The same
letter

is

the

exact centre of
in

the retina.
Fig. 1.)
It

marks the same spot

j
is

is

the seat of most distinct vision,

optic nerve

the

entrance of the

(Figs. 4

and

1),

from the

centre of which the retinal artery will be seen emerging

and spreading over the

that part only
distinct.
is

entire retina

but

in

the diagram
Fig. I.

represented which could be seen tolerably

to the

The background
where
it is

artery appears of a pale red, except at the part occupied

by the

optic nerve,

white.

After
can

this rapid glance at so

complicated a structure, and bearing in mind that some persons

it

see its several parts with vastly greater facility than others,

cannot be a matter of surprise

that individuals

not aware of these facts are,

now and
about
is

then
startled
reality

especially at night,

and when carrying a

an
apparition,

light

in

by what they
nothing more
sidered.

fancy

but

which

than
lady

some part of the

us that
she

structures

above

con-

assures

saw the ghost of her

in

husband as she was going downstairs with a lighted candle

her hand.

The spot

k,

Fig.

4,

when seen against a wall

size

Fig. 5.

few feet distant, appears about the

features.

of a

human

head, and
of

wants

very

little

to furnish

it

with

Figured

paper

on the

wall,

and a ho4

other things,
5.)

may

supply them, or even the

retinal artery,

which often lends body and limbs.

perceived

(Fig.

* This distance can easily be

by getting an impression on the retina according to the

arterial

" Directions,"

page

4,

and then, on performing the above experiment, the

ramifications and the central spot will be distinctly

perceived to

move over

the spectral figure.

10
Besides the above mentioned
in these
illusions,

structures,

there

are others which

so
called

may

play an important part

especially

the

common
flyingflies.

musvee volantes,

from their

resemblance

to

They

consist of cells

and

filaments, the debris of the

in
its

structures of the eye, of

and
near

float

about
retina

humours.
evident

That some
from
the

them

exist

very

the

appears

fact that,

on

placing-

the eye

close

to a gauze wire blind, distinct

miniature
(Fig.
6.

images

of

parts

of

the

gauze

will

be

seen

in

them.

We
of
light.

now

pass on to consider some of the leading properties

There have been many theories propouuded

from

time

to time in order to explain the various

this
Fig. S

phenomena connected with

all,

subject,

but only one accords well with

and that
its

is

called

the undulatory or vibratory theory, which, from

plications, will

numerous comis

compel us to confine ourselves to a consideration of that part only which

necessary to
all

our present use.

space, the

This theory regards light as the vibrations of an imponderable ether pervading

of these vibrations varying in a given time for each of the three

number

primary colours

blue, yellow,

and red

the

greatest

number producing

blue, the least red,

and an intermediate number

yellow,

all

other colours being produced by the combination of these in various proportions.

third,

Any two

of the three primary colours mixed together makes the complementary colour to the
is

and the third

also

complementary to
;

it.

Thus, blue and yellow

purple,

make

green, which
;

is

the complementary colour

to red

red

and blue
blue.

make

complementary to yellow
are

yellow

and red make

is

orange,
:

complementary to
so that

When

the three primary colours

mixed together, white

the result

when a ray

of white light falls

upon a
if

piece of paper,
all

and

all
it

the vibrations are equally

will

reflected,

the paper will

appear white, and

reflects

they are
will

absorbed,

appear black
if
it

but, if

the

paper absorbs some and

it

others, it

appear coloured.

Thus,

absorbs those
;

producing red,

will

appear green, from the mixture of the vibrations producing blue and yjllow
reflects red,

and

if

it

absorbs blue and yellow, and

at will

then

it

will

appear red.

In

this

manner any
it

object

we look
it

appear of any particular colour,

according to which vibrations

absorbs

and which'

reflects.
is

The
by
these

retina

so admirably constructed that

it

is

susceptible of different impressions of colour

different

vibrations,

except, in the case

of a

few individuals, who are either blind to

their intermediate shades,

all

colour,

and therefore see everything black or white, and two colours

or

who

arc blind

to only one or

When we

look steadily at a red object for a few seconds, that part of the retina on which
vibrations

the image impinges begins to get less sensitive to

producing

red,

but

more

sensitive

to

11
/

those

producing
little

blue

and

yellow

so

that
it,

on

turning the

eye

away

from the red object, and

received the red image
sensibility to blue

permitting a
will, in

white light to
its

enter

that part of

the retina

which
its

consequence of

diminished

sensibility to that colour,

and

exalted

and yellow, be able to

a green image of
the
the

perceive the two latter colours best, and by their mixture will give rise to

red

object.

The same thing

will

be

observed with

all

the

other

colours

secondary image

or spectre always
is

appearing of the

complementary colour to the object from

which the impression

obtained.
vividness

The duration
individuals,

and

of these

impressions
object.

on

the

retina

vary

greatly

in

different

and can be procured from almost any

person may, after looking

steadily,

aud

as often happens, unconsciously for a short time at printed or

see,

pa nted
:

figures,

on paper, porcelain, &c,

on turning toe head

the

in

some other

direction, a

life-sized

or colossal
it is

spectre (the spectre appears

larger

greater the distance of the surface against

which

seen),

and there can be

little

doubt but that many of the reputed ghosts originate

in this

manner.

tl

XL

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SSIK^V^:

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Date Due
All books are subject to recall after

two weeks.

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