Artists demand that their studios shall face the north, as all the world knows, in order that they may have steady light upon their canvas unaffected by the movement of the sun. But apart from questions of light, there appears to be reason to think that such a position may be almost the worst possible for the general vitality of their work. Thi the moral of carious article in the "Italia Moderna' written by an Italian doctor, on the influence of the points of the compass on human energy. The writer has consulted men of all professions; snd we find a distinguished ist. admitting that his powers of execution are always greatest when his piano is placed towards the west; several writers declare that their ideas are clearest and most inspired when their writing-tables face the west; a doctor, holding an official position in Rome, asserts that paralysis in notably affected by the position which the patient is hsid, and Dr. Gnemes gives the case of patient suffering from insomnia who found that he could sleep tranquilly om aligning his bed north and south; but Dr. Guemes prudently declines to say how much self-enggestion may have had to do with this cure. On the other hand Dr. Fore is said to have obtained striking results with the machine invented by the figures, the proportion of energy die-played according to the cardinal points is 75 when the subject faces west; 68 when he faces east; and only 33 when be faces north-west. Thus it appears that the best position for work is to look west or east; and, bearing in mind the natural antagonism between repose and labour, it follows that for sound sleep we should lie north and south. It is possible, however, thst these rales may not apply in every case, and it is, re, 8 that busy men should provide themselves with " portable ergograph and '8 pocket compass in order to make sure of drawing the utmost from every fleeting hour.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.