"A SENSE OF RHYTHM."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18939, 10 February 1925, Page 12

"A SENSE OF RHYTHM."

Dr. Johnson was a prey to the odd mania of striking or touching street posts—just for luck—on his way along Fleet Street. Those who indulge in similar superstitious rites must often havo rejoiced over this illustrious precedent, because it aswires them that little habits of the kind are compatible with intellectual vigour, says an Exchange. To try to pass the next lamp post before the next motor-bus passes you to walk only on every other stop upstairs; to tread only upon every odd flag of the pavement; to count up to ten before,, tho next man in a soft hat passes you—a hideous waste of time, surely !. Also, possibly, a survival of some half-repressed primitive instinct: the Stone Age surviving into the age of stone pavements. Strange, unaccountable, unworthy of Dr. Johnson and .of our own higher selves.. So we may havo thought, in self-re-proach. But, reinforcing the consolation that others besides ourselves indulge in these absurdities, comesa Cambridge 1 Professor who .assures us that jt Jfs a dense of rhythm " that prompts us to them. ! Excellent! Those who feared that they ! might bo exhibiting symptoms of incipient insanity will now know that they are only thwarted musicians imitating tho harmony of tho spheres. , , . , But perhaps It would be better, nbno the loss, if they waited to get homo aiid then put a record on the gramophone, | For wo "have enough street delays as it is.