Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 32.djvu/270

 Following are the words and the colors assigned to them in the experiments noted above, including a few double numbers: 1, black; 2, light-cream; 3, dark-cream; 4, brownish-red; 5, black; 6, tancolor or cream; 7, greenish-black; 8, dark-straw; 9, mud-color; 10, black; 21, black and straw; 22, light-cream; 23, dark strawcolor; 24, light and brown.

Some three years ago Professor E. S. Holden contributed a paper to "Science" on "Visualized Numbers," in which examples were given that differ in some points from the results obtained by the writer. For the purpose of comparing, I quote from Professor Holden's article: "1, black; 2, cream; 3, blue; 4, brown; 5, white; 6, crimson-pink; 8, white; 9, greenish; 10, brown."

It will be seen that where there is a variation it is a radical one. I do not attempt to explain the reason, but state it as a curious example of mental idiosyncrasy.

Following some familiar names are given, and the color of each, and also the letters of the alphabet: Mary, dark-red; Abbie, tan; Lucy, dark-blue; Richard, light-gray; Atalanta, steel-gray; Charlotte, light-red; Claire, light-blue; Kewcomb, dark-red; Lincoln, black; Morse, brown; Newhall, gray-black; Frank, dark-green; A, lightstraw; B, gray; C, tan; D, blue; E, black; F, black; G, lightstraw; H, red; I and J, black; K, blue; L, black; M, brown; N, dark-blue; O, light-red; P, light-green; Q, blue; R and S, lightstraw; T, green; IT, gray; V, yellow; W, blue; X, gray; Y and Z, dark-brown.

"Color-hearing" has been considered in "The Popular Science Monthly" [August, 1883]. I quote from the article: "There are, in fact, persons who are endowed with such sensibility that they could not hear a sound without at the same time perceiving colors." These are the colors of sounds, and the sound of colors is what can be regarded as another branch of the same scientific mystery. Dr. Sophus Trombolt has investigated in this direction and according to the testimony of one hundred and forty-four persons in Norway in relation to the emission of sound by the northern lights, ninety-two were found who believed in such sounds, and fifty-three asserted that they had heard them. The sound was described as sizzling, hissing, whizzing, crackling, rushing, rippling, rolling, flapping, creaking, and roaring.

[—Connected with this subject it may be well to recall an interesting relation of experiences which was started several years ago by Mr. Francis Galton, respecting what he designated "visualized numerals," and the association of colors with various numbers. The term "visualized numerals" in its simplest sense means the conception, or mental vision, when any number is spoken or thought of, of that number as it is written, the power to form which may extend in some cases to lines of considerable length. In a fuller sense the terra means more, and may be associated with very curious