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The Sixth Lesson: Cultivation of Perception.581
of the air. The membrane, being moist, seizes and holds these particles for
a moment, and the fine nervous organism reports differences and qualities
and the Mind is thus informed of the nature of the object.
The sense of Smell is very highly developed among animals, who are
compelled to rely upon it to a considerable extent. And many occupations
among men require the development of this sense, for instance, the
tobacconist, the wine dealer, the perfumers, the chemist, etc. It is related
that in the cases of certain blind people, it has been observed that they
could distinguish persons in this manner.
The sense of Hearing is a more complex one than in the case of Taste,
Touch and Smell. In the latter three the objects to be sensed must be
brought in close contact with the sense-organs, while in Hearing the object
may be far removed, the impressions being carried by the vibrations of the
air, which are caught up and reported upon by the nervous organism of the
sense of Hearing. The internal mechanism of the ear is most wonderfully
intricate and complex, and excites to wonder the person examining it. It
cannot be described here for want of space, but the student is advised to
inquire into it if he has access to any library containing books on the subject.
It is a wonderful illustration of the work of the mind in building up for itself
instruments with which to work—to acquire knowledge.
The ear records vibrations in the air from 20 or 32 per second, the rate
of the lowest audible note, to those of 38,000 per second, the rate of the
highest audible note. There is a great difference in individuals in regard to
the fineness of the sense of Hearing. But all may develop this sense by the
application of Attention. The animals and savages have wonderfully acute
senses of Hearing developed only along the lines of distinctness, however—
on the other hand musicians have developed the sense along different lines.
The sense of Sight is generally conceded to be the highest and most
complex of all the senses of Man. It deals with a far larger number of objects—
at longer distances—and gives a far greater variety of reports to the mind
than any of its associate senses. It is the sense of Touch magnified many