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I was mentioning strange spirit-sounds; but why is it that all the real nature-tones of whose origin and causes we can give the most complete account sound to us like the most piercing sorrow, and fill our hearts with the profoundest dread?
Soon there supervenes a deadly fear a horror which makes the hair stand on end; so that the said pleasurable feeling at the commencement would seem to be the fascination of temptation with which the Spirit World lures us on and ensnares us. We were talking of certain Nature-tones which are capable of explanation, and of their fearsome effect upon our senses.
Surely the howling of the storm-wind, the rattling of the hail, the groanings and creakings of the vanes are just as capable of filling us with profound terror as are those other Nature-tones we have been speaking of.
The most remarkable of those nature-tones is the air-music, or, as it is called, the 'devil-voice, heard in Ceylon and the neighbouring countries, spoken of by Schubert in his 'Glances at the Night-side of Natural Science. This nature-tone is heard on calm and bright nights, sounding like the wail of some human creature lamenting in the deepest distress.
The Spaniards, with their bent towards the supernatural, heard in it the mighty voices of supernatural beings, announcing great events about to happen. In this they were confirmed when, next day, the battle came thundering in upon them, with all its horrors." "Is there any occasion." Dagobert said, "to go to Ceylon, or to Spain, to hear these marvellous Nature-tones of sorrow and complaining?
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