72 ONTOLOGY. 



which the aether is susceptible, because it is on no account 

 different from the aether ; the polarization only takes place 

 more slowly. 



340. The transmission of light is called Translucency . 



341. The aether is transparent, because it is every- 

 where the propagation of the tension of light, because it 

 is itself, or becomes, light everywhere. Bodies can also 

 be transparent, only in so far as they are the light itself, 

 i. e. in so far as the same polarization can be excited in 

 them which is constantly excited in aether by the sun. 

 But this is not only possible, but necessary ; for matter 

 is surely the aether itself, only condensed. The polarity 

 aether must therefore be capable also of being excited in 

 the condensed aether, although in a much less degree. 

 The transparency of matter is a tension of aether con- 

 tinually ringing through matter. The whole universe 

 originally was transparent ; it is has only originated 

 through tension of light. 



342. Matter is a tension of light that has become 

 central. This continuous tension of light in matter in 

 relation to the centre, and thus with curvation, is called 

 Refraction. 



343. All transparent bodies must refract light. The 

 bodies are, however, denser than the aether; therefore 

 the light, which passes from a rarer into a denser 

 medium, must be refracted towards the centre (plummet 

 of incidence), and in the reverse case turned from it. 



344. Materiality is not the only determinant of refrac- 

 tion, but also the density of the element, the earth 

 refracting light more than water, and this more than air. 



345. The density also is not the only determinant, but 

 the quality also of the matter ; the Basic or Planetary 

 must refract more than the Oxygenic or Solar. 



346. As translucency is not a dead transmission of 

 light, but a continued propagation of tension ; so must it 

 be viewed as a process of light in matter, but one excited 



/I from without. Translucency is a co-illumination, like 

 F the concord of equally attuned instruments. 



347. Co-illuminating bodies are thus analogous still to 



