vi CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER III. 



PAGE 



ALL SPACE, NOT OCCUPIED BY OTHER MATTER, is OCCU- 

 PIED BY A UNIVERSALLY DIFFUSED AND INVISIBLE 

 ELECTRIC MEDIUM 23 



Original Discovery of the Existence of the Electric Ether. It is 

 the general Medium for transmitting Mechanical Impulses. 

 No void Space in the Universe. The minute Spaces between 

 Atoms pervaded by the Electric Ether. Every Movement of 

 Molecules and Bodies in the electric Medium disturbs its State 

 of Rest, and produces its Motion either in Vibrations, or Cur- 

 rents. When these pass through the conducting sensorial 

 Nerves of the Eye to the Brain, the Effect is recognized as 

 Light; when through Nerves of feeling in the Body, it is recog- 

 nized as Heat. The Movement of a metallic Disc near a Disc 

 of Sealing-wax excites such dazzling bright Sparks as to have 

 obtained for this Apparatus the descriptive Name of Electro- 

 phorus, " Sunshine Producer." All kinds of Electrical Ma- 

 chines produce Movements of the Electric Ether, by putting in 

 Motion grosser tangible Bodies, commonly Cylinders, Globes, 

 or Magnets arranged to revolve about an Axis, like the Planets. 

 Swift rotating metallic Plates of soft Iron : they cut tem- 

 pered Steel. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE PERFECT REGULARITY OF THE DAILY ROTATION OF 

 THE EARTH SERVES AS THE STANDARD MEASURE OF 

 TIME, SPACE, WEIGHT, QUANTITY OF MATTER, AND 

 MECHANICAL FORCE 39 



Sub-divisions of Time. Length of a Day. Length of a Pen- 

 dulum. Rotation of the Earth. The Foot-pound. A 

 Horse-power. Equivalent of Heat in Foot-pounds. 



CHAPTER V. 

 POPULAR THEORIES AS TO THE SUN . 42 



Theory of the Combustion of Gases, of pounding Meteors, etc. 

 The Sun travelling through Space. The Sun composed of 

 elementary Substances similar to those of the Earth, as estab- 

 lished by the Spectrum Analysis. Thirty-one terrestrial 

 Metals kaown to exist in the Sun. 



