EVIDENCE PROVING THE STATEMENT OF THE CASE 75 



know that there is also this selective power without 

 chemical combination. 



It would follow that if this law of the strongest 

 were supreme in atomic matter, Nature would ulti- 

 mately get into a rigid condition. 



Now comes in the Avonderful factor of Ether. 

 Without Ether no combination : a certain pressure or 

 "strain m of Ether on atoms causes them to combine, 

 a greater pressure causes them to decompose. And 

 thus Nature compels a constant change by the power of 

 the factor of factors Ether. 



One illustration may suffice. " Pure mercury is quite 

 unalterable in the air at common temperatures, but 

 when heated 2 to near its boiling point, it slowly absorbs 

 oxygen, and becomes converted into a crystalline dark- 

 red powder, which is the highest oxide. At a 

 dull red heat this oxide is again decomposed into its 

 constituents." 3 



That matter has an influence over matter, even at a 

 distance, the folio Aving important experiment proves. 



Fig. 6. Thermopile with object acting upon it at a distance. 



1 See " What is Heat ? " for definitions of " stress " and " strain," 

 p. 120. 



2 Idem, for definition of " heated," p. 125. 3 Idem, p. 341. 



