Page:Young - Outlines of experiments and inquiries respecting sound and light (1800).djvu/42

 aliquot points, of as many lucid lines as correspond to the number of the harmonic, more nearly approaching to each other as the bow approaches more nearly to the point, Plate VI. Fig. 51. According to the various modes of applying the bow, an immense variety of figures of the orbits are produced, Fig. 45, more than enough to account for all the difference of tone in different performers. In observations of this kind, a series of harmonics is frequently heard in drawing the bow across the same part of the chord: these are produced by the bow; they are however not proportionate to the whole length of the bow, but depend on the capability of the portion of the bowstring, intercepted between its end and the chord, of performing its vibrations in times which are aliquot parts of the vibration of the chord: hence it would seem, that the bow takes effect on the chord but at one instant during each fundamental vibration. In these experiments, the bow was strung with the second string of a violin: and, in the preparatory application of resin, the longitudinal sound of was sometimes heard; but it was observed to differ at least a note in different parts of the string.

Some experiments were made, with the assistance of a most excellent practical musician, on the various notes produced by a glass tube, an iron rod, and a wooden ruler; and, in a case where the tube was as much at liberty as possible, all the harmonics corresponding to the numbers from 1 to 13, were distinctly observed; several of them at the same time, and others by means of different blows. This result seems to differ from the calculations of and Count, confirmed as