10 NATURE AND LIFE. 



If the smallest parts which we can imagine and distin- 

 guish in bodies differ from each other only by the nature of 

 the motions to which they are subjected, if motion alone 

 rules and determines the variety of different attributes 

 which characterize these atoms, if, in a word, the unity of 

 matter exists and it must exist what is this fundamental 

 and primary matter whence all the rest proceed? How 

 shall we represent it to our minds ? Every thing leads to 

 the belief that it is not essentially distinguished from the 

 ether, and consists in atoms of ether more or less strongly 

 held together. It is objected that the ether is imponder- 

 able ; but that is an unfounded objection. Doubtless it 

 cannot be weighed ; to do that we must compare a space 

 filled with ether to a space empty of ether ; and we are 

 evidently unable to isolate this subtile agent, whose par- 

 ticles counterpoise each other with perfect equilibrium 

 throughout the universe. Yet many facts attest its pro- 

 digious elasticity. A flash of lightning is nothing more 

 than a disturbance of equilibrium in the ether, yet no one 

 will deny that lightning performs an immense work. How- 

 ever this may be, it is impossible to think of the energies 

 that make up the atom otherwise than as of pure force, 

 and the ether itself, whose existence is demonstrated by 

 the whole of physics, can be no otherwise defined than by 

 the attributes of force. 1 It follows from this that atoms, 

 the last conclusion of chemistry, and ether, the last con- 

 clusion of physics, are substantially alike, although they 

 form two distinct degrees, two unequal values, of the 

 same original activity. All those physico-chemical ener- 

 gies, as well as the analogous energies of life, only show 

 themselves to us, save in rare exceptions, clothed with that 



1 " Setting aside any theory, it would be hard to find in all these terms, 

 dilatation, propagation, radiation, vibration, reflection, refraction, attrac- 

 tion, repulsion, polarization, etc., any thing else than phenomena of mo- 

 tion." CHARLES DE REMTJSAT, " Philosophical Essays," voLii., On Matter. 



