ATOMIC THEORY OF THE ETHER 



rigidity to receive and transmit the transverse vi- 

 brations of light, etc. But an even greater rigid- 

 ity would be presented by the kinetic structure 

 of the Ether as here assumed, for, commensurate 

 with the size and rapidity of motion of its molecules, 

 it would offer greater resistance to any change of posi- 

 tion or motion than would be possible with the con- 

 ditions of a jelly-like impalpable solid. The vibra- 

 tions that constitute Light, etc., seem always to 

 arise from pre-existing vibration in heated ponder- 

 able bodies: they have been long studied and are 

 well known. They do not require now to be con- 

 sidered, though their origin will be so later. 



It is generally accepted that the phenomena pre- 

 sented by Static Electricity are closely connected with 

 the Ether, but in what way and what is the nature 

 and origin thereof are questions very imperfectly 

 answered. Hertz's experiments have demonstrated 

 the identity of radiant electric waves with those of 

 light and heat, differing only in their greater length 

 and consequent slower vibration ; but of Static 

 Electricity we have yet much to learn. The atomic 

 theory of the ether should throw some light upon it. 

 It is admitted under every theory suggested that all 

 ponderable substances are inter-penetrated by the 

 Ether, which fills the intervals between their corpus- 

 cles. With a continuous jelly-like or solid ether no 



