26 THE LIMITATIONS OF SCIENCE 



variability in the simple atom by supposing some of the 

 corpuscular elements of a complex atom to exhibit the 

 one kind of electric force, and others the opposite 

 kind. 



In spite of these advantages and others which might 

 be cited, the prime fact remains that it is now neces- 

 sary to abandon the historic and hitherto invincible 

 atomic theory for another which is still more conjec- 

 tural. For the former element of matter, simple in 

 nature, we have substituted another, complex in char- 

 acter, and have thereby given up the chief and to many 

 the only value of an atomic theory. 



The corpuscular theories advanced, almost simul- 

 taneously by Lorentz and Larmor, show this clearly. 

 Sir Joseph Larmor, in his treatise on JEther and 

 Matter, presents a view of the constitution of matter 

 which is sufficient over an extensive range of physical 

 theory, and which he trusts will not be made more 

 complex until it proves inadequate in some definite 

 feature. According to his hypothesis, the atom of mat- 

 ter is composed of a system, probably large in number, 

 of positively and negatively electrified protions (called 

 frequently by others corpuscles, electrons, or ions) 

 in a state of steady orbital motion around each other. 

 The passage of electricity through a conductor or from 

 one body to another is effected by a transference of 

 electrically charged protions from one atom to another. 

 The differences in the chemical elements, such as iron 



