“ Through the edge, and afterwards along the rod are poured, with unfailing precision, the entangled pulsations produced by the shocks of those ten agile fingers. To the soundboard of the harp before you the rod faithfully delivers up the vibrations of which it is the vehicle. This second sound-board transfers the motion to the air, carving it and chasing it into forms so transcendentally complicated, that confusion alone could be anticipated from the shock and jostle of the sonorous waves. But the marvellous human ear accepts every feature of the motion ”

“ An artist is at this moment engaged at the instrument, but you hear no sound. I place this violin upon the end of the rod; the violin becomes instantly musical—not, however, with the vibrations of its own strings, but with those of the piano. I remove the violin: the sound ceases. I put in its place a guitar, and the music revives. For the violin and guitar I substitute this plain wooden tray: it is also rendered musical. Here, finally, is a harp, against the sound-board of which I cause the end of the deal rod to press: every note of the piano is reproduced before you. ”

“ Two persons at a considerable distance from each other can carry on a conversation, without even raising their voices, by means of a wire or a wooden rod, if the ends are held between the teeth of the speakers. ”