100 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN 



resembling the spectrum of an atom. This is a striking anal- 

 ogy between an atom and the solar system. 



The reverse process, enlarging the atom by multiplying 

 by the factor lO^^ ^nd leaving its velocities as they were, 

 would make, say, an atom of oxygen the same size as the 

 solar system with its two detachable electrons resembling 

 Uranus and Neptune. One of these electrons might resemble 

 the earth in size and distance from the sun, and revolve round 

 the latter in one sidereal year. The electron might be a sphere 

 when enlarged to the size of the earth. The electron may 

 have a structure resembling the earth ; it may be a veritable 

 microcosm, a world in which life might not very materially 

 differ from life on the earth, and, considering that time and 

 space would be reduced in the same constant and uniform 

 proportion, it is doubtful if our present instruments, suddenly 

 transformed, would be able to indicate the occurrence of any 

 fundamental change. This is but an illustration of the prin- 

 ciple that size and length of time are purely relative and de- 

 pend upon comparison with standards. If all dimensions, 

 including the standards, were reduced in the same proportion, 

 or if all things were accelerated or retarded in the same pro- 

 portion, we should be absolutely unaware that anything had 

 happened. On the other hand, if any intelligent being could 

 be transferred from the microcosm to our present world, and 

 could keep up some connection with the microcosm, his busy 

 life here would appear to the inhabitants of the microcosm to 

 be a changeless eternity, since any change measurable by 

 them would take millions of their years to accomplish itself. 



Sir Isaac Newton in his work on "Opticks" (1717) at 

 the end of a prolonged physico-chemical discussion sums up 

 his atomic view of the constitution of matter in archaic terms, 

 but with deep modern significance, that have often been 

 quoted : 



"All these things being consider'd, it seems probable 

 to me that God in the Beginning form'd Matter in solid, massy, 



