74 SCIENCE AND IMMORTALITY 



as Zeta Puppis^ Gamma Argus^ Algol Sirius^ ArcluruSy 

 Epsilon Ononis^ certain atoms are seen by the 

 spectroscope to be even now in a dissociated, 

 dissolute condition ; and the cooler the stars the 

 more numerous the elements. 



It is very difficult to believe that a thin, light 

 gas like hydrogen, and a heavy liquid metal like 

 mercury, and a solid substance like a diamond, are 

 all made of precisely the same primordial substance, 

 but so it is. The particles are probably precisely 

 the same in every instance ; and the difference in 

 the atom is merely a question of the number, 

 arrangement, and movement of the corpuscles. 

 After all, there is nothing more incredible in this 

 than in many miracles we see performed every day. 

 We see two gases, hydrogen and oxygen, made into 

 water ; we see solid, heavy metals, like lead, and 

 silver, and gold, vanish into clear liquid. 



An atom, then, as now conceived, is not a solid, 

 stolid thing — not merely a conglomeration of dead 

 dust — not merely a dust-heap. The atom of 

 hydrogen contains a thousand " /8 " corpuscles : 

 the atom of mercury a hundred thousand ; and 

 every one of the corpuscles is " intensely, won- 

 drously alive," and gyrates and rotates like a 

 dancing dervish. But " dancing dervish " is a 

 simile unworthy of the occasion. One of the 

 ancient philosophers considered man an epitome 



