decoration, and of music. It has been a background or a
part of the "atmosphere" excepting occasionally when some one with
imagination and daring has given it the leading role. Even in its
infancy it has on occasions performed admirably almost without any aid.
The bursting rocket, the marvelous effects at the Panama-Pacific
Exposition, and some of the exhibitions on the theatrical stage are
glimpses of the potentiality of light. To fall back upon the terminology
of music, these may be glimmerings of light-symphonies.

Harmony is simultaneity and a painting in this respect is a chord--a
momentary expression fixed in material media. A melody of light requires
succession just as the melody in music. The restless colors of the opal
comprise a light melody like the songs of birds. The gorgeous splendor
of the sunset compares in magnitude and in its various moods with the
symphony orchestra and its powers. Throughout nature are to be found
gentle chords, beautiful melodies and powerful symphonies of light and
this music of light exhibits the complexity and structure analogous to
music. There is no physical relation between music, poetry, and light,
but it is easy to lean upon the established terminology for purposes of
discussion. Those who would build color-music identical to sound music
are making the mistake of starting with a physical foundation instead of
basing the art of light-expression upon psychological effects of light.
In other words, a relation between light and music can exist only in the
psychological realm.

These melodies and symphonies of light in nature are admittedly pleasing
or impressive as the case may be, but are they as appealing as music,
poetry, painting, or sculpture? The consensus of opinion of a large
group of average persons might indicate a negative reply, but the
combined opinion of this group is not so valuable as the opinion of a
colorist or of an artist who has sensed the wonders of light. The
unprejudiced opinion of artists is that light is a powerfully expressive
and impressive medium. The psychologist will likely state that the
emotive value of light or color is not comparable to the appeal of an
excellent dinner or of many other commonplace things. But he has
experimented only with single colors or with simple patterns and his
subjects are selected more or less at random from the multitude. What
would be his conclusion if he examined painters and others who have
developed their sensib