THE BREATH OF LIFE 



mit the waves of light from the sun and the stars. 

 This measurable speed, says Sir Oliver Lodge, gives 

 the ether away, and shows its finite character. 



It seems as if the theory of the ether must be true, 

 because it fits in so well with the enigmatic, contra- 

 dictory, incomprehensible character of the universe 

 as revealed to our minds. We can affirm and deny 

 almost anything of the ether — that it is immaterial, 

 and yet the source of all material; that it is abso- 

 lutely motionless, yet the cause of all motion; that 

 it is the densest body in nature, and yet the most 

 rarified; that it is everywhere, but defies detection; 

 that it is as undiscoverable as the Infinite itself; that 

 our physics cannot prove it, though they cannot get 

 along without it. The ether inside a mass of iron or 

 of lead is just as dense as the ether outside of it — 

 which means that it is not dense at all, in our ordi- 

 nary use of the term. 



VI 



There are physical changes in matter, there are 

 chemical changes, and there is a third change, as un- 

 like either of these as they are unlike each other. I 

 refer to atomic change, as in radio-activity, which 

 gives us lead from helium — a spontaneous change 

 of the atoms. The energy that keeps the earth go- 

 ing, says Soddy, is to be sought for in the individual 

 atoms; not in the great heaven-shaking voice of 

 thunder, but in the still small voice of the atoms. 



66 



