(1) No such thing as purely stress accent seemed possible. The word,
signifying greater intensity without change of quality, did not apply.
If one attempted to _intensify_ the repeated object in any way, either
hanging another string, thickening the strings, or any similar device,
it ceased to be the old unit but became a new one, whose repetition
was followed for its own sake, while the weaker one retired into the
background, and was not _felt_ as the element repeated in the series.
(2) Any regular change of the element which made it more interesting or
caught the attention, fixed it as the chosen unit of the series, whose
repetition was followed.
(3) Concerning the exact _value_ of the alternating figure in the
series, there was great difficulty in introspection. They all "_knew_
the alternate figure was just as truly repeated as the principal
one, but could not feel it so." The three-group formed the unit of
the repeated series, and although the pair was clearly part of the
experience and distinctly perceived, for some reason it was not
felt as repeated in the same way as the other. It was merely an
alternate, a filling, which was essential to the other, but which had
no significance in itself as a repeated thing. Two subjects were able
(if they tried) to carry both repetitions along together, _i. e._, not
only feel the three-groups as coming at regular distances from each
other, but the pairs as forming another interlacing series. This kind
of apperception was very fatiguing, however, and they could not enjoy
it. For any pleasure to be derived, the pairs must retire into the
background, and attention be fastened on the three-group.
(4) If the alternating figure was to be so subordinate, was there any
difference between its significance, and that of an empty space? This
was everywhere answered in the same way. The alternating, or minor
figure, had a very distinct value, and any irregularity in it was even
more irritating than in the principal unit itself. When the space was
empty they thought nothing of it, the equality of the interspacing
was taken for granted; while if they felt an irregularity in it, it
destroyed their pleasure in the whole series. But there was no feeling
for the empty space until its regularity had been violated, while there
was a distinctly pleasant factor in the minor figure, even though
different in quality from the principal element.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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