AND ITS SELF-CONSERVATION. 183 



contradicting the law that loss of heat is accompanied 

 by loss of actual volume. 



Another point of interest to be noticed in this con- 

 nection, is found in the discussions of physicists con- 

 cerning the " absolute zero." Calculation once made of 

 the loss of volume for each degree of reduction of tem- 

 perature in a given mass of air, it is easy to determine 

 the absolute zero point, on the presumption that the 

 ratio of loss of volume to each degree of diminishing 

 temperature will continue unchanged. 



Of course this ratio would not remain unchanged. 

 But the point of interest for us here is the fact that theo- 

 retically the absolute zero of temperature falls precisely 

 where the given quantity of matter has also reached the 

 zero of volume. That is, as was intimated on a former 

 page, where there is absolute zero of temperature, there 

 is absolute non-existence of matter. And, indeed, one 

 might naturally enough infer that since " heat" is a state 

 or phase of "matter," there can be complete absence of 

 heat only where there is complete absence of matter. 



It may also be remarked, that so far as this specu- 

 lation of the scientists is of any real value, it serves to 

 confirm our previously attained conclusion, that repul- 

 sion of which heat is merely a mode is an absolutely 

 essential phase of matter. This, indeed, is the real 

 meaning of that other speculation to the effect that if 

 the action of gravity were wholly unchecked, it would 

 reduce the material universe to a mathematical point. 

 On the other hand, as we have already seen, gravitation 

 itself would be impossible apart from repulsion, as its 

 opposing or complementary mode of force. Or, as 

 previously shown, the very action of gravity must, of 



