TENDENCIES OF MODERN PHYSICS 55 



distributed positive electricity with points of negative 

 electricity so placed in it as to form the corners of 

 regular geometrical figures. He then calculates the 

 stability of each figure from the mutual attractions and 

 repulsions of the charges and supposes the chemical 

 elements to be conditioned by this stability. The 

 scheme is so frankly artificial and speculative that its 

 author can regard it only as an architect does his 

 sketch, as a symbol of a house. But in addition to his 

 pictorial representations of matter and phenomena, 

 which, if taken correctly, do not deceive anyone, he 

 subscribes to the hypothetical method and is a leader 

 in developing the electrical theory of matter. 



If we now turn to a consideration of the ideas of 

 Professor Lorentz, we shall find a close agreement with 

 the hypothesis of Professor Larmor. We have been 

 led to the conception of electrons or protions, Professor 

 Lorentz says in his Theory of Electrons, by our de- 

 sire to understand the electrical properties of matter. 

 For, while we adopt the theory of Faraday and Max- 

 well that the space or electro-magnetic ether near an 

 electrically charged body is put in a certain state of 

 strain and never lose sight of this idea, yet we need 

 not form an image of it and really cannot say much 

 about it. In fact, these strains, as imagined by them, 

 cannot have a real existence without producing motion 

 in the ether, which is an impossible assumption. On 

 account of the difficulties into which such speculations 



