On Radiant Matter. 21 



a hole (e) in it, and the result is, when I turn on the cur- 

 rent, a line of phosphorescent light (e,f) is projected along the 

 whole length of the tube. I now place beneath the tube a 

 powerful horseshoe magnet : observe how the line of light 

 (2, g) becomes curved under the magnetic influence waving 

 about like a flexible wand as I move the magnet to and fro. 



This action of the magnet is very curious, and if carefully 

 followed up will elucidate other properties of Radiant Matter. 

 Here (Fig. 15) is an exactly similar tube, but having at 



FIG. 15. 



one end a small potash tube, which if heated will slightly 

 injure the vacuum. I turn on the induction current, and 

 you see the ray of Radiant Matter tracing its trajectory in a 

 curved line along the screen, under the influence of the 

 horse-shoe magnet beneath. Observe the shape of the 

 curve. The molecules shot from the negative pole may be 

 likened to a discharge of iron bullets from a mitrailleuse, 

 and the magnet beneath will represent the earth curving 

 the trajectory of the shot by gravitation. Here on this 

 luminous screen you see the curved trajectory of the shot 

 accurately traced. Now suppose the deflecting force to 

 remain constant, the curve traced by the projectile varies 

 with the velocity. If I put more powder in the gun the 

 velocity will be greater and the trajectory flatter, and if I 

 interpose a denser resisting medium between the gun and 

 the target, I diminish the velocity of the shot, and thereby 

 cause it to move in a greater curve and come to the ground 

 sooner. I cannot well increase before you the velocity of 

 my stream of radiant molecules by putting more powder in 

 my battery, but I will try and make them suffer greater 

 resistance in their flight from one end of the tube to the 

 other. I heat the caustic potash with a spirit-lamp and so 



