Page:Young - Outlines of experiments and inquiries respecting sound and light (1800).djvu/32

 at the immediate surface of the body itself, and that, by mutual reflections between these two surfaces, something like the anguiform motion suspected by may really take place; and then the analogy to the colours of thin plates will be still stronger. A mixture of vibrations, of all possible frequencies, may easily destroy the peculiar nature of each, and concur in a general effect of white light. The greatest difficulty in this system is, to explain the different degree of refraction of differently coloured light, and the separation of white light in refraction: yet, considering how imperfect the theory of elastic fluids still remains, it cannot be expected that every circumstance should at once be clearly elucidated. It may hereafter be considered how far the excellent experiments of Count, which tend very greatly to weaken the evidence of the modern doctrine of heat, may be more or less favourable to one or the other system of light and colours. It does not appear that any comparative experiments have been made on the inflection of light by substances possessed of different refractive powers; undoubtedly some very interesting conclusions might be expected from the inquiry.

It is surprising that so great a mathematician as Dr. could have entertained for a moment, an idea that the vibrations constituting different sounds should be able to cross each other in all directions, without affecting the same individual particles of air by their joint forces: undoubtedly they cross, without disturbing each other's progress; but this can be no otherwise effected than by each particle's partaking of both motions. If this assertion stood in need of any proof, it might be amply