54 THE CREATION OF MATTER 



in its place. Is there, may we not say, one more wave 

 in any length, of line in space more than in the same 

 length of all others, then is there a reason for it. The 

 multitude therefore of the waves and the exactness of the 

 measuring can have but one glorious meaning. 



The transverse vibrations to which light is due have 

 also been numbered. The ether vibrates 395 billions of 

 times in a second in producing red light, 509 billions in 

 creating the impression of yellow, and 763 billions that of 

 violet. These numbers are enormous, widely separated, 

 and comparatively definite. In a single ray, stretching 

 from the sun to the earth, how multitudinous are the 

 vibrations, how enormous the number in those that fall 

 on a field, on a great plain, on half the earth, that 

 proceed from the sun in every direction, that are in the 

 vast ocean that stretches from sun to sun, from system to 

 system, from nebula to nebula. And at every point the 

 action of the ether is exquisitely perfect. Can anything 

 be imagined more impressive than so vast a unity and 

 uniformity of action, any fact of mightier significance? 

 Is not orderly working so extended, so transcendent in 

 fineness, an overwhelming wonder? So great a multi- 

 tude of points, acting so exactly alike, vibrating with a 

 velocity so extraordinary, and yet so perfectly measured, 

 fill the universe with the sound of one unmistakable 

 testimony to the source from which the ether has come, 

 to the Intelligence by which it has been made. 



Lines of light, by the action of their waves, and trans- 

 verse vibrations, do the finest work. They show the 

 most charming colours which exist, the finest forms that 

 are. The greatest artist that ever with brains drew his 

 lines or mixed his colours, that produced masterpieces 

 admired of all the world, could have done nothing but 

 for the perfection of their action. Because of it he was 



