Scientific Sophisms. 165 



a gas is due to the varying motion of its 

 molecules impinging on the walls of the vessel 

 that contains it ; that the rigidity, or space- 

 occupying power of matter, is due to the 

 formation of vortices in a frictionless ether, and 

 that each vortex-atom is thenceforth inde- 

 structible ; when the reality of the conceptions 

 thus assumed has been granted, then by exactly 

 so much has the absolute necessity been in- 

 creased of assigning at "the first beginning" 

 a First Cause, equal not only to the origina- 

 tion of Matter and of Force, but equal to the 

 origination of matter thus constituted, and of 

 force thus adjusted. 



Evolution is thus seen to be the measure 

 of Involution. Whatever has been evolved 

 in the Effect was previously involved in the 

 Cause. To deny this is to affirm that the effect 

 may transcend the cause. If therefore though 

 in utter contempt of scientific verity we were 

 to resolve all chemical forces into forces. me- 

 chanical, all life into chemistry, and the infinite 

 diversity of living beings into mere variety in 

 the play of molecular forces, ultimately resolving 

 itself into a motion or motions of the universal 

 ether, we should simply have increased by 

 so much our previous estimate of the Power 

 which at the "first beginning" was able 



