A KINETIC THEORY OF MATTER. 247 



through an extended quasi-elastic solid medium. 

 But unfortunately for this idea the equilibrium is 

 essentially unstable, both in the case of magnets 

 and, notwithstanding the fact that the forces are 

 oppositely directed, in the hydrokinetic analogue 

 also, when the several movable bodies (two 

 or any greater number) are so placed relatively 

 as to be in equilibrium. If, however, we connect 

 the perforated bodies with circulation through 

 them in the hydrokinetic system, by jointed 

 rigid connecting links, we may arrange for 

 configurations of stable equilibrium. Thus with- 

 out fly-wheels, but with fluid circulations through 

 apertures, we may make a model spring-balance, 

 or a model luminiferous ether, either without or 

 with the rotational quality corresponding to 

 that of the true luminiferous ether in the 

 magnetic fluid in short, do all by the perfor- 

 ated solids with circulations through them that 

 we saw we could do by means of linked 

 gyrostats. But something that we cannot do 

 by linked gyrostats we can do by the perforated 

 bodies with fluid circulation. We can make a 



