entation, but exhibits its
characteristic qualities in the purest of simplicity. The recently
invented 'harmonichord' will doubtless accomplish much in this
direction. This instrument, as you no doubt know, sets strings
a-vibrating and a-toning (not bells, as in the harmonica) by means of
mechanism, which is set in motion by the pressing down of keys, and the
rotation of a cylinder. The performer has, under his control, the
commencement, the swelling out, and the diminishing, of the tones
much more than is the case with the harmonica, though as yet the
harmonichord has not the tone of the harmonica, which sounds as if it
came straight from another world."

"'"I have heard that instrument," said Ferdinand, "and certainly the
tone of it went to the very depths of my being, although I thought the
performer was doing it scant justice. As regards the rest, I think I
quite understand you, although I do not, as yet, quite see into the
closeness of the connection between those 'nature-tones' and music."

"'Lewis answered--"Can the music which dwells within us be any other
than that which lies buried in nature as a profound mystery,
comprehensible only by the inner, higher sense, uttered by instruments,
as the organs of it, merely in obedience to a mighty spell, of which we
are the masters? But, in the purely psychical action and operation of
the spirit--that is to say, in dreams--this spell is broken; and then,
in the tones of familiar instruments, we are enabled to recognise those
nature-tones as wondrously engendered in the air, they come floating
down to us, and swell and die away."

"'"I think of the AEolian harp," said Ferdinand. "What is your opinion
about that ingenious invention?"

"'"Every attempt," said Lewis, "to tempt Nature to give forth her tones
is glorious, and highly worthy of attention. Only, it seems to me that,
as yet, we have only offered her trifling toys, which she has often
shattered to pieces in her indignation. Much grander idea than all
those playthings (like AEolian harps) was the 'storm harp' which I have
read of. It was made of thick chords of wire, which were stretched out
at considerable distances apart, in the open country, and gave forth
great, powerful chords when the wind smote upon them.

"'"Altogether, there is still a wide field open to thoughtful inventors
in this direction, and I quite believe that the impulse recently given
to natural science in general will be perceptible in this