36 New Theories of the Great Forces. 



drogen, but essentially a new element must 

 be considered in estimating its composition. 6 

 Light is ascertained to be as veritable a sub- 

 stance as water. The sun is recognized to 

 be dark, cool, and habitable. Messages go 

 through the air from kite to kite ten miles 

 apart without visible agency. Telephonic 

 sounds leap from wire to wire through quite 

 ten feet of space. 



Present theories of Supply of Sun-heat. 



The present theories of the production and 

 dissemination of sun-heat, are simply accepted 

 for want of better, and not because they ac- 

 count satisfactorily for the phenomena. 



The first and most prominent is the com- 

 bustion theory, which, though bearing the 

 seal of ages, is obnoxious both to common 

 and philosophic reasoning. This theory pre- 

 supposes a consumption of material beyond 

 all conception, and the supply of which has 

 been no small tax upon the scientific imagi- 

 nation. The source of this supply has been 

 claimed to be the subsidence of useless 

 worlds, and of asteroids, and meteors, show- 



6 Appendix, p. 99. 



