CONSTITUENTS OF THE UNIVERSE. 



that make up those compounds, and the whole 

 made up of atoms, obstacles are encountered 

 at once; for the atoms will not make the chem- 

 ical changes at all, as they are not convertible, 

 even if there are any. There is no way out of 

 the predicament in which this theory leaves 

 us, fur, if there are no atoms there is no matter, 

 and if there are atoms, they will not make 

 changes and hence no compounds; and if they 

 can make no changes and no compounds, then 

 where is the matter? 



When the chemist finds a radical difference 

 between compounds composed of the same kind 

 and the same number of atoms, and finds no 

 better reason for that difference than a differ- 

 ent arrangement of those atoms in space, he 

 ought to be able to work out all his problems 

 in practical chemistry with nothing but a sort 

 of checker board, as that would be in line with 

 his theory. 



When he mingles iron and sulphur, no mat- 

 ter how thoroughly or how fine the division of 

 the materials, and obtains nothing but a simple 

 mixture, we have the theory of chemical 



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