COSMIC PHILOSOPHY 



matter has only undergone a molecular change 

 which renders it temporarily imperceptible by 

 our unaided senses. Of the manner in which 

 quantitative chemistry has demonstrated this 

 truth, pursuing, balance in hand, the vanished 

 matter through all its protean transformations, 

 it is unnecessary to speak. Similar has been 

 the evidence in the case of motion. Observ- 

 ing that, the more effectually friction, atmos- 

 pheric resistance, and other obstacles to the vis- 

 ible continuance of motion are eliminated, the 

 longer the motion continues, the conclusion 

 was reached, by the method of concomitant va- 

 riations, that if all obstacles could be eliminated, 

 the motion would continue forever. Finally, 

 when it was shown that the apparent loss of 

 motion caused by friction is, in fact, only a 

 transformation of a certain quantity of molar 

 motion into its equivalent quantity of that spe- 

 cies of molecular motion known as heat, it was 

 admitted on all sides that motion is indestruc- 

 tible, as welt as matter. 



But a brief analysis will show that the twin 

 theorems which we are considering have a de- 

 ductive warrant equally valid with their induc- 

 tive warrant. Deep as are the truths that mat- 

 ter is indestructible and motion continuous, 

 there is a yet deeper truth implied by these two. 

 These theorems are not fundamental, but de- 

 rivative ; and it therefore becomes necessary to 

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