238 Prof. Faraday on the Consei-vation of Force. 



sophical conclusions, is not probable. So we must strive to learn 

 more of this outstanding power, and endeavour to avoid any de- 

 finition of it which is incompatible with the principles of force 

 generally ; for all the phsenomena of nature lead us to believe 

 that the great and governing law is one. I would much rather 

 incline to believe that bodies affecting each other by gravitation 

 act by lines of force of definite amount (somewhat in the manner 

 of magnetic or electric induction, though without polarity), or 

 by an tether pervading all parts of space, than admit that the 

 conservation of force could be dispensed with. 



It may be supposed that one who has little or no mathema- 

 tical knowledge should hardly assume a right to judge of the 

 generality and force of a principle such as that which forms the 

 subject of these remarks. My apology is this : I do not perceive 

 that a mathematical mind, simply as such, has any advantage 

 over an equally acute mind not mathematical, in perceiving the 

 nature and power of a natural principle of action. It cannot of 

 itself introduce the knowledge of any new principle. Dealing 

 with any and every amount of static electricity, the mathematical 

 mind can, and has balanced and adjusted them with wonderful 

 advantage, and has foretold i-esults which the exjjerimentalist 

 can do no more than verify. But it could not discover dynamic 

 electricity, nor electro-magnetism, nor magneto-electricity, or 

 even suggest them ; though when once discovered by the expe- 

 rimentalist, it can take them up -with extreme facility. So in 

 respect of the force of gravitation, it has calculated the results 

 of the power in such a wonderful manner as to trace the known 

 planets through their courses and perturbations, and in so doing 

 has discovered a planet before unknown ; but there may be results 

 of the gravitating force of other kinds than attraction inversely 

 as the square of the distance, of which it knows nothing, can 

 discover nothing, and can neither assert nor deny their possibility 

 or occurrence. Under these circumstances, a principle which 

 may be accepted as equally strict with mathematical knowledge, 

 comprehensible without it, applicable by all in their phdosophical 

 logic, whatever form that may take, and above all, suggestive, 

 encouraging, and instructive to the mind of the experimentalist, 

 should be the more earnestly employed and the more frequently 

 resorted to when we arc labouring either to discover new regions 

 of science, or to map out and develope those which are known 

 into one harmonious whole ; and if in such strivings we, whilst 

 applying the principle of conservation, see but imperfectly, still 

 we should endeavour to see, for even an obscure and distorted 

 vision is better than none. Let us, if we can, discover a new 

 thing in any shape ; the true appearance and character will be 

 easily developed afterwards. 



