The Nature of Physical Eeality 89 



The intrinsic nature of matter and electricity 

 has also been thought to be incomprehensible to 

 the human mind. The specific properties of the 

 various kinds of matter are, however, being rap- 

 idly explained on the basis of atomic and molecu- 

 lar structures. Perhaps the most difficult phase 

 of this subject is the problem of accounting for the 

 two kinds of electricity of which all matter is 

 composed. Any theory of matter and electricity 

 that is to deserve serious consideration must ex- 

 plain, first of all, the self-sustaining ability of 

 atoms, protons, and electrons. The only form of 

 motion which is dynamically self-sustaining is 

 vortex motion, and since electricity is closely re- 

 lated to matter both in constitution and behavior, 

 it would not be unreasonable to assume that elec- 

 trical vortices are also self-sustaining. It has 

 been suggested in the early days of the atomic 

 theory that the ultimate particles of matter and 

 electricity might consist of electrical vortex rings, 

 but the apparent inability of the vortex theory to 

 account for two kinds of electricity has prevented 

 further development of this theory. It appears, 

 however, that the various possibilities of vortex 

 motion have not yet been fnlly investigated. Be- 

 sides simple vortex rings there is also the possi- 

 bility of pairs of vortex rings, which may be ar- 

 ranged with their adjacent peripheral portions 



