TIME, SPACE, AND INVISIBLE WORLDS. 241 



that is, " Samples of the bulk," partake substantially of its nature 

 and constitution. And spectrum analysis has verified this conclu- 

 sion to a remarkable extent. Twelve terrestrial " elements," 

 including hydrogen (representative of water ; and, although light- 

 est of all the elements, yet gives three lines in the Spectrum) ; 

 sodium (the principal metallic base in sea-water), calcium (lime 

 and limestone rock), and iron ; all which rank among the com- 

 monest elements on Earth, are found in the Solar spectrum ; 

 whilst aluminium (the base of clay), carbon and oxygen (essentials 

 in organised structures), copper, lead, and five other elements, are 

 believed by Peck, upon strong evidence, also to be present. 

 Chemists have long suspected substances like carbon, sulphur, 

 phosphorus, chlorine, and iodine, to be compound and not ele- 

 mentary ; and the spectroscope has greatly strengthened this 

 suspicion : indeed, the supposition is neither improbable nor un- 

 philosophic which would see in every single line of the thousands 

 contained in the spectrum (with possible exceptions however, as in 

 the case of Sodium with its double line), the specific evidence of 

 one single and, perhaps, indivisible element. The present diffi- 

 culty lies in the frequent inability of the eye to distinguish between 

 excessively close and fine lines, and the tendency of the terrible 

 heat of the Sun (Lockyer describes it as " beyond all definition") 

 to dissociate or break up the so-called elements into finer and yet 

 finer conditions of matter, the spectra changing with every separate 

 crisis. It would even seem to be within the limits of possibility 

 that, given adequate heat, possibly far exceeding that in the Sun, 

 the final simple element or elements might be obtained which lie 

 at the foundation of all matter in the Universe. Lockyer expresses 

 himself thus — "The spectroscopic phenomena observed are simply 

 and sufficiently explained on the view that the so-called chemical 

 elements behave after the manner of compound bodies." For 

 thorough and exhaustive conclusions on the heat, matter, and 

 general condition of the Sun, his opinion is that its spectrum 

 should be widened out to the extent of 315 feet. 



Turning now to the Stars, and to the answers given by the 

 spectroscope as to the presence of Solar or terrestrial elements in 

 all those Stars which were found bright enough to give visible lines, 

 whilst the evidence received up to the present time scarcely 



