208 THE LIMITATIONS OF SCIENCE 



the Ether " : in some way it will solve our difficulties. 

 This is his creed : 



" The Ether is the universal connecting medium 

 which binds the universe together, and makes it a co- 

 herent whole [not hole] instead of a chaotic collection 

 of independent isolated fragments. It is the vehicle 

 of transmission of all manner of force, from gravita- 

 tion down to cohesion and chemical affinity ; it is there- 

 fore the store-house of potential." 



In short, the Ether, not being matter, is for Sir 

 Oliver pretty nearly everything else; almost, if not 

 quite, God, even to the use of the reverential capital 

 initial. More specifically, he considers it the principle 

 of continuity, and in continuity he finds a scientific 

 proof of immortality. If he had based a belief in the 

 immortality of the soul on an analogy with the con- 

 tinuity of existence of matter and energy, I think many 

 persons would agree that he was expressing one of our 

 most certain reasons for such a hope. It is difficult 

 to suppose that the quantity of matter and energy in 

 the universe is unchangeable, and yet to maintain that 

 thought and emotion, which have so many of the char- 

 acteristics of durability, end with death. On the con- 

 trary, " we * do see the sum of mind increasing every 

 time two old thoughts coalesce into a new one, or even 

 every time matter assumes a new form before a re- 

 ceiving intelligence." But such an intimation of im- 

 * Unpopular Review, April, 1914. 



