92 New Theories of the Great Forces. 



allow of the development of other lines of 

 active operation than those heretofore in 

 service." He believed in the existence of 

 one great universal principle, from which 

 gravity, heat, light, electricity, magnetism, 

 even life itself might come. He spent many 

 of his latest years in efforts to solve this great 

 problem, and on his failure he asked : " Is it 

 all a dream ? " He never, however, wavered 

 in his faith, and his last efforts were directed 

 to that end. 



With prophetic vision, almost amounting 

 to prescience, he, in speaking of magnetism, 

 said : " When we remember that the earth 

 itself is a magnet, pervaded in every part by 

 this mighty power, universal and strong as 

 gravity itself, we cannot doubt that it is ex- 

 erting an appointed and essential influence 

 over every particle of matter, and in every 

 place where it is present. 



" What its great purpose is, -seems to be 

 looming up in the distance before us : the 

 clouds which obscure our mental sight are 

 daily thinning, and I cannot doubt that a glori- 

 ous discovery in natural knowledge and in 

 the wisdom and power of God in the creation 

 is awaiting our age." 



Thus did those great philosophers so near- 



