68 G. F. C. SEARLE, M.A., F.R.S., ON THE 
ether form a single indivisible system. The word atom was 
originally coined to express the belief that certain minute 
particles are incapable of a physical division into smaller parts. 
But in the light of modern science the whole universe is to be 
regarded as an atom, or in other words, as something which 
cannot be divided. 
The conception of the unity of the universe, to which modern 
science leads us, must of necessity have a most important place 
in oor speculation concerning the origin of the universe. 
§ 9. The Origin of the Universe,—All the evidence is against 
the idea that the existence of the constituent parts of molecules 
is due to any physical or chemical actions occurring in the 
present state of the universe : we are thus compelled to believe 
that they have been created, unless indeed, we suppose that 
they are self-existent or in other words, that there never was a 
time when they did not exist in their present forms—a supposi- 
tion which has no place in the conception of the universe in the 
minds of modern physicists. 
The fact that all the molecules of any given element have 
absolutely identical properties makes it clear that matter has 
been made on some plan, and the certainty that there is no 
molecule which is not associated with energy indicates that both 
plan and energy come from the same Source. 
The uniformity of the molecules of any given element is the 
basis of chemistry. The spectroscope also bears witness to this 
uniformity, for the lines in the spectrum would be broad and 
not narrow if among the molecules of the substance under 
examination there were appreciable difference of the periodic 
time of the particular vibration corresponding to each line of 
the spectrum. Schuster has illustrated in a very forcible 
manner the conclusion that if there are inequalities in the 
periodic time of thallium, corresponding to the green line in its 
spectrum, these inequalities must be exceedingly small. He 
states that the want of uniformity is greatly over-estimated, if 
we say that twelve per cent. of the molecules differ from the 
average by one part in two millions in periodic time, and he 
brings out the meaning of this statement in the following 
way :—“If you had a great many clocks and found that, taking 
their average rate to be correct, not more than one in eight 
would be wrong by a second in twenty-three days, that would 
represent the maximum amount of variation which our inter- 
pretation of the experiment allows us to admit in the case of 
molecular vibrations. But would any maker undertake to 
supply you with a number of clocks satisfying that test . . . 
