36 THOUGHTS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 



conclusion that the molecules are magnetic, and exert 

 such an influence upon the ether by their motion as to 

 drag smaller objects to the magnet. Magnify one of 

 these tiny magnets to the size of the earth, and imagine 

 a man standing upon it ; he sees that smaller objects 

 approach it, and wishing to find a cause that will 

 account for the phenomena, and not being able to see 

 the ether, he imagines the fictions of the inherent 

 attraction of matter, and consequent action at a 

 distance. But his supposition is not according to fact, 

 it is material motion in and by the mass and the ether, 

 and action by contact, that accountsforthe phenomena. 

 Combine the varied motions of corpuscles, atoms, 

 molecules, stars, suns, planets, ether, etc., and fictions 

 are quite unnecessary and objectionable, the facts are 

 sufficiently stupendous and adequate to produce the 

 inevitable and natural results. 



Newton in his letter to Bentley wrote as follows : 

 " It is inconceivable that inanimate brute matter 

 should, without the mediation of something else 

 which is not material, operate upon and effect other 

 matter without mutual contact, as it must do if 

 gravitation in the sense of Epicurus be essential 

 and inherent in it. That gravity should be innate, 

 inherent, and essential to matter, so that one body 

 can act upon another at a distance through a vacuum, 

 without the mediation of anything else, by and through 

 which their action and force may be conveyed from 

 one to another, is to me so great an absurdity, that I 

 believe no man, who has in philosophical matters a 

 competent faculty of thinking, can ever fall into it." 



Inherent attraction (or gravity) of the smallest 



