ON THE NATURE OF LIFE. 1ST 



recent discovery of spectrum analysis* this lends 

 additional probability to the development of a state of 



* The bearing of the spectrum analysis on this question is the sub- 

 ject of several admirable mathematical papers by Mr. Ponton, in the 

 " Quarterly Journal of Science," 1871, Irom which the following 

 points are extracted. If the elements had been simple, homogeneous 

 masses, of definite size and weight, each element in the state of incan- 

 descent vapour would have exhibited in the spectrum one single bright 

 line ; but this is, we know, not the case, and even hydrogen, the lowest 

 in the scale of chemical equivalents, shows four bright spectral lines,, 

 while iron presents a large number. Hence the great probability is,, 

 that " each ultimate particle of the element consists of numerous more 

 minute atoms, differing in their inertia, and held together by a force 

 too great to be overcome by any chemical means which can be brought 

 to bear upon them." The smallest particles of the chemical so-cailecL 

 elements he proposes to call "ultimates," and the word atom is re- 

 served for the still smaller constituents of these. Thus " molecules '*" 

 will denote the particles of chemical compounds, and ultimates and 

 atoms as above. The atoms constituting the chemical ultimates, while 

 very close to each other within the limits of the ultimate, cannot be in 

 absolute contact, otherwise they would be incapable of separate in- 

 dividual vibration. And the circumstance that the ultimates absorb 

 definite lines in diverse and distinct parts of the spectrum shows that 

 the motion must be taken up by different atoms, having, in virtue of 

 their intrinsic inertia, a tendency to vibrate at those difierent definite 

 rates. From the calculations given, he concludes that the ultimate of 

 hydrogen is made up of a great number of atoms of lour diverse sorts,, 

 the number of atoms of those sorts being different. A similar com- 

 plex constitution obtains with all the other elements to a greater ex- 

 tent than with hydrogen, and it is concluded that several ot the atoms 

 are common to the uJtimates of several different elements. Thus the 

 species of atom which in the ultimate of hydrogen produces the line. 

 0, occurs also in the ultimates of six metals : several atoms are com- 

 mon to iron and titanium, to iron and calcium, to iron and nickel, &c_ 

 Ko force is known on our planet, or even in our sun, which can tear 

 asunder the constituent atoms of the ultimates, but it is thought that 

 in the more intense heat of Siriu?, which is said to be a younger star 

 than our sun, the atoms are dissociated, and the elements are thus not. 

 yet formed. 



All this is substantially confirmatory of the views of Samuel Brown 

 on the nature of the so-called elements, as laid down in his lectures on, 

 the Atomic Theory in 1843. His position was that the so-called atoms 

 of the elements [ultimates of Ponton] are "made up of homceomeric 

 parts, not essentially indivisible, but indivisible by such forces as are 

 competent to the division of their aggregates." And again, " Atoms, 

 are defined as indivisible by such forces as divide their aggregates or 

 the forms produced by their concourse." Almost the same statement 

 on the divisibility of matter and definition of a molecule are given by 



