28 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



sure that the theoretical solutions were correct (without any experi- 

 ment at all) assuming that the hypothesis on which the solutions 

 were based was correct. And what was this hypothesis ? Evidently 

 that the rod and the shots located themselves by chance, i.e., that 

 all positions were equally likely, and that in a great number of throws 

 or disturbances they would be equably distributed in the different 

 possible positions. The agreement then shews that this hypothesis 

 was realized, was attained in the experiments. The rod and the 

 globules did not locate themselves by chance; their every movement was 

 guided and controlled by fixed and definite laws — the various forces 

 in my arm, gravity, the resistance of the air, the elasticity of the bodies, 

 the slight inequalities of the surfaces, friction, &c. ; but no one cause 

 operated to constrain the objects into constancy of position, and the 

 result was a marvellous evenness of distribution where a large number 

 of events occurred. We might be inclined to expect that, where a 

 number of causes operate, conflicting with and in part neutralizing 

 one another, there might be, where a large number of events occurred, 

 an utter unevenness of distribution, the events accumulating in 

 heaps at one place and leaving another quite blank. Such, however, 

 did not occur in the case of the experiments I have given an account 

 of; and with respect to them we may assert that where a number of 

 causes operate what we may term the "Law of Equable Distribution" 

 prevails. 



