 Cover page. | |
| Author | J. H. Brown |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Optical illusions |
| Publisher | James G. Gregory(New York City) Griffith and Farran (London) |
Publication date | 1864 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 27 pp |
| OCLC | 1165364 |
| Text | Spectropia atWikisource |
Spectropia, or, surprising spectral illusions showing ghosts everywhere and of any colour is anoptical illusion book by J. H. Brown, first published in 1864.
Initial printings ofSpectropia were made inNew York City by James G. Gregory, and inLondon by Griffith and Farran.[1]
With sixteen large lithographed plates[2] (thirteen of which were hand-coloured[3]),Spectropia includes several sections; namely an introduction, directions, and one called "Popular and Scientific description." The writing, spanning over eleven pages in addition to the plates makes for a total of twenty-seven pages. The cover is bound on green cloth,[3] with a height of 25 centimetres (9.8 in)[4]
An edition with "fancy boards" sold for twoshillings andsixpence,[5] and an edition with the plates mounted on cloth sold for an extra shilling.[6] ADutch edition translated by Hugo Suringar Leeuwarden ofSpectropia was published in 1866. Additionally, a second edition was published in 1870.[3]
Brown was distressed by an increased public interest inspiritualism,[7] something which he deemed a "mental epidemic."[8] By offering a scientific explanation on the properties of light, color, and the structure of the eyes,[1] he states in the section "Popular and Scientific description" that the purpose in writingSpectropia was to bring forth "the extinction of the superstitious belief that apparitions are actual spirits, by showing some of the ways our senses may be deceived."[8]
By staring at an image inSpectropia for roughly a quarter of a minute without blinking and then looking away from the book at a wall,[9] the reader will see the image of the spectres appear before them floating on the wall.[1] This is due to anoptical illusion calledafterimage, a phenomenon where the image continues to appear in one's vision after the exposure to the original image has ceased.
The point of focus of each plate is marked with anasterisk located near the center of the illustration.[9]
AnAthenæum reviewer called it "one of the best toy books we have seen."[10] theVirginia Historical Society felt thatSpectropia "must have delighted its young audience when it was first published."[7] Additionally it was called "a clever book" by a reviewer ofChemical News, noting its exemplary use of theafterimage phenomena.[10]
