Matter. 47 



introduction into science is to be deprecated.* With- 

 out waiting, therefore, for the doomsday demonstra- 

 tion of the truth or untruth of this vexed theory of 

 vortex atoms, we shall content ourselves with one 

 more meet for man's present knowledge, intelligence, 

 requirements, and average length of days, viz., that of 

 the " Lucretian hard atoms," which appear to chemists 

 and all trustworthy physicists amply sufficient to un- 

 ravel the utmost intricacies of universal phenomena. 



The inherent properties and qualities of atoms are 

 briefly as follows : — 



(1) Indestructibility. — Modern science has indisput- 

 ably established the indestructibility of atoms. An 

 atom of oxygen, for instance, is always an atom of 

 oxygen. It manifests the same indestructibility of 

 substance, perpetuity in energy, and unchangeability 

 in property, either singly or as part of the thousand 

 and one compound substances — mineral, vegetal and 

 animal — with which it ceaselessly assimilates itself. 

 It is impossible either to change or annihilate it. 

 Similarly with all the atoms of all the elements. The 

 elements in the material alphabet and letters in the 

 linguistic are thus alike in function. For instance, a 

 possesses a signification distinct from b, c, d, or any 

 other letter, but prefix it to nt as ant, and its passive 

 classification as a vowel merges into its active voca- 

 tion as a word-maker. Still, if separated, the letter 

 loses nothing by its temporary alliance with others ; 



* It is a favourite pastime, however, with Lord Kelvin, for he also 

 employed it in his humorous theory of l: Seed-Bearing Meteors." 



