It has ever been true since the advent of artificial light that the\nintellect has been largely nourished after the completion of the day’s\nwork. The highly developed artificial lighting of the present time may\naccount for much of the vast industry of publication. Books, magazines,\nand newspapers owe much to convenient and inexpensive artificial light,\nfor without it fewer hours would be available for recreation and\nadvancement through reading. Schools, libraries, and art museums may be\nattended at night for the betterment of the human race. The immortal\nLincoln, it is said, gained his early education largely by the light of\nthe fireplace. But all were not endowed with the persistence of Lincoln,\nso that illiteracy was more common in his day than in the present age of\nadequate illumination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The theatrical stage not only depends for its effectiveness upon\nartificial light but owes its existence and development largely to this\nagency. In the moving-picture theater, pictures are projected upon the\nscreen by means of it and even the production of the pictures is\nindependent of daylight. These and a vast number of recreational\nactivities owe much, and in some cases their existence, to artificial\nlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Not many centuries ago the streets at night were overrun by thieves and\nto venture outdoors after dark was to court robbery and even bodily\nharm. In these days of comparative safety it is difficult to realize the\ninfluence that abundant illumination has had in increasing the safety of\nlife and property. Maeterlinck in his poetical drama, “The Bluebird,”\nappropriately has made Light<\/em> the faithful companion of mankind. The\nPalace of Night, into which Light<\/em> is not permitted to enter, is the\nabode of many evils. Thus the poet has played upon the primitive\ninstincts of the impressiveness of light and darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By combining the symbolism of light, color, and darkness with the\ninstincts which have been inherited by mankind from its superstitious\nancestry of the age of mythology, another field of application of\nartificial light is opened. Light has gradually assumed such attributes\nas truth, knowledge, progress, enlightenment. Throughout the early ages\nlight was more or less worshiped and thus artificial lights became woven\nin many religious ceremonies. Some of these have persisted to the\npresent time. The great pageants of peace celebrations and world’s\nexpositions appropriately feature artificial light. In drawing upon the\npotentiality of the expressiveness and impressiveness of light and\ncolor, artificial light is playing a major part. Doubtless the future\ngenerations will be entertained by gorgeous symphonies of light.\nExperiments are performed in this direction now and then, and it is\nreasonable to expect that after many centuries of cultivation of the\nappreciation of light-symphonies, these will take a place among the\narts. The elaborate and complicated music of the present time is\nappreciated by civilized nations only after many centuries of slow\ncultivation of taste and understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Light-therapy is to-day a distinct science and art. The germicidal\naction of light-rays and of some of the invisible rays which ordinarily\naccompany the luminous rays is well proved. Wounds are treated\neffectively and water is sterilized by the ultraviolet radiant energy in\nmodern artificial illuminants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thousands of lighthouses, light-ships, and light-buoys are scattered\nalong sea-coasts, rivers, and channels. They guide the wheelman and warn\nthe lookout of shoals and reefs. Some of these send forth flashes of\nlight whose intensities are measured in millions of candle-power. Many\nare unattended for days and even months. These powerful lights dominated\nby automatic mechanisms have replaced the wood-fires which were\nmaintained a few centuries ago upon certain prominent points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Signal-lights now guide the railroad train through the night. A burning\nflare dropped from the rear of a train keeps the following train at a\nsafe distance. Huge search-lights penetrate the night air for many\nmiles. When these are equipped with shutters, a code may be flashed from\none ship to another or between the vessel and land. A code from a\npowerful search-light has been read a hundred miles away because the\nflashes were projected upon a layer of high clouds and were thus visible\nfar beyond the horizon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It has ever been true since the advent of artificial light that the intellect has been largely nourished after the completion of the day’s work. The highly developed artificial lighting of the present time may account for much of the vast industry of publication. Books, magazines, and newspapers owe much to convenient and inexpensive artificial … <\/p>\n