ON MATTER, FORCE, AND MOTION IN SPACE. 53 



ticity, and which become a new vanishing-point to our 

 reason. 1 Nor does it touch that more fundamental 

 question, namely, the actual nature of that mysterious 

 Power which gives origin and impulse to these won- 

 derful waves of ether, interpreted to us by light, heat, 

 and chemical phenomena. 



Difficulties of this kind are in nowise lessened when 

 regarding ether, not merely as the medium of propa- 

 gating impulses through outer space, but as inter- 

 penetrating and permeating other forms of matter, 

 such as our atmosphere and the various grosser bodies 

 on the earth. The phenomena of light, as expounded 

 by experiment and by mathematical enquiry into the 

 laws of refraction, polarisation, transmission, &c. en- 

 quiry so searching as in some cases to have anticipated 

 results yet unseen all compel the admission of this 

 belief, which conception vainly seeks to realise. 2 The 

 atomic elements of luminiferous ether and of the more 

 palpable forms of matter solid, fluid, or gaseous 

 which ether pervades, are alike beyond the reach of 

 the boldest hypothesis. 



In denoting the ether of space, as the medium for 

 transmission of power or motion from one part of the 



1 The question whether matter can exist continuously that is, with- 

 out parts or interstices is so far removed from all possibility of proof 

 that it leads to little more than a play upon words. To suppose the affir- 

 mative might solve some difficulties, but would engender others. All 

 analogy from what we know is against it. 



2 No science is more ennobled than Optics by the names attached to it. 

 Those of Newton, Hooke, and Huyghens have foremost place in date ; 

 but the present century has carried enquiry far beyond all prior limits, 

 and the labours of Young, Fresnel, Arago, Herschel, Brewster, Wheat- 

 stone, Hamilton, Foucault, &c. have resulted in discoveries unsurpassed 

 in any other branch of science. 



