48 THE CREATION OF MATTER 



in fineness as the ether itself, and swift with its swiftness, 

 might draw such lines ; but that an ether sea should be 

 so constituted, that all its parts should correspond so 

 perfectly, as that it in its action should everywhere draw 

 them, excites the very enthusiasm of admiration, the very 

 ecstasy of wonder. 



This law is of vital importance. Were rays not to 

 proceed with perfect regularity in lines perfectly straight, 

 were there disorder in the ether such as would intercept 

 or bend them largely, the vision of things would be a 

 scene of confusion. A thin pane of glass irregular with 

 an irregularity not observable on looking at itself, is yet 

 sufficient to mix up the objects in a prospect, to displace 

 houses and stacks and trees and portions of grass fields 

 and heath, and show the one where the other ought to be. 

 Were the ether imperfect in places, the same minglings 

 might result both on earth and the face of the sky. But 

 of such minglings there are none. Every view is shown 

 to us by lines of light of inexpressible straightness. And 

 if it be said that there may be bending infinitesimally 

 small, that bending must be the same in all. How much 

 this tells of the ether ! How is it glorified through all 

 its extent, an extent not like a thin pane of glass, but 

 reaching unto outermost existences ! How resplendent 

 are its samenesses in all even its minutest parts ! How 

 does every part and all parts, how do lines so multitudin- 

 ous, so extended, and each one so perfect, speak ! How 

 loudly ! How clearly ! How they mean ! With what 

 brilliancy, with what overmastering intensity. To the 

 very deaf how can they be silences ? To the unintelligent- 

 how can they be meaningless ? 



"A primrose by the river's brim 

 A yellow primrose was to him, 

 And it was nothing more." 



