18 



luminous bodies, and that by comparing the prismatic 

 effects of sun rays with those of artificial lights, they may 

 identify or discriminate between their causes. This dis- 

 covery, so confidently announced in 1870, in some respects 

 seemed to confirm the Actien theory which we had the 

 honor to publish some ten years before. The spectro- 

 scope would apparently contradict or disprove Sir Isaac 

 Newton's real theory of light ; but a careful investigation 

 convinces one that the theory based on the spectroscope is 

 tenable only for our atmosphere, revelations claimed for 

 it outside this, failing in their proof; also, that Newton's 

 theory of the origin of light and its natural properties 

 has been misunderstood and misquoted. 



Actien* is a primary principle, the most subtle of all 

 known elements, emanating from the sun in straight lines 

 towards its planets, its flowing rays creating, in their 

 passage to the earth, electricity, magnetism, light, heat, 

 color, and many other properties by their friction upon 

 and combustion with the atmosphere, ultimately reducing 

 all elements to their utmost density, and producing a con- 

 stant crystallization and consolidation of matter. This 

 creative principle is supposed to pass from the sun, either 

 in all directions through the solar system, or in concen- 

 trated rays exclusively upon the planets of its creation, 

 not necessarily bearing light or heat as it passes through 

 space, those elements being generated within the circle 

 of the atmosphere of the planet. When this fluid reaches 

 and pervades the atmosphere, the contact, or friction with 

 it, instantly causes a combustion, producing the magnetic, 

 electric and calorific changes, involving, as a sequence, 

 light, heat and color, the aurora borealis, zodiacal, com- 

 etary and phosphorescent lights, as well as the "pole of 



* Actien, the primary of Actin, or rays. 



