ELECTRONS AND ATOMS 27 



dead mythology. It by no means follows 

 that these myths, of science and religion, did 

 not serve a useful purpose in those days when 

 they were living and powerful beliefs, but, 

 when new knowledge, power and methods 

 arise, they must be cast on one side, and 

 replaced by better machinery to lead to new 

 revelations. They are the scaffolding of the 

 structure in course of erection, and not an 

 intrinsic part or any permanent adornment 

 of it. 



CHAPTER II 



GENESIS OF ELECTRONS AND ATOMS 



At the present moment in scientific history, 

 as a result of a rapid and brilliant series of 

 experimental discoveries which have taken 

 place during the last fifteen years, we stand 

 face to face with necessary changes in our 

 scientific theories, concerning the nature of 

 two things, matter and energy, regarded by 

 our predecessors as definitely settled founda- 

 tions of all science. 



It is not perhaps too much to say that 

 twenty years ago there had developed a cast- 

 iron belief that matter and energy, and these 



