32 Wilde, Evolution of the Mental Faculties. 



knowledge of their distances or their magnitudes. Another 

 of these specialists has persuaded himself, and holds forth, 

 that meteoric stones are the prima materia of all self- 

 luminous bodies in the universe, and, consequently, of all 

 non-luminous bodies, including his own personality. 

 Others, again, through the like neglect of mental 

 philosophy, exhibit an abject credulity, through which 

 they become the sport and dupes of vulgar pretenders 

 to occult powers of spiritualism, clairvoyance, divination, 

 and other forms of modern witchcraft. 



The following definitions of some fundamental 

 concepts of the universe may be of interest to those who 

 desire to base their knowledge on the sure foundation of 

 natural truth, unfettered by the simianisms of past 

 generations. 



Space : — The absolute void in which all existence is 

 contained ; its parts inseparable and immovable ; infinites- 

 imal and infinite in extent ; uncreated and eternal. 

 Hence the greatest immensity of space through which 

 instrumental science can penetrate, is an infinitesimal 

 compared with the illimitable space extending beyond. 



Siihstance: — That absolute existence which is ex- 

 tended in space ; its parts separable and movable ; rests 

 and moves, by volition, in an infinity of modes and degrees ; 

 co-infinite and infinitesimal with space, and eternal in 

 duration. Should this definition of substance be considered 

 inadequate, let him who would improve upon it, first deter- 

 mine the absolute magnitude of the centre of an actual 

 solid of revolution; he may then be able to define the 

 ultimate essence of substance. 



Matter: — The mutable qualities and forms inherent in 

 substance, as manifested in (i) the properties of the differ- 

 ent series of the chemical elements and their compounds ; 



