Dr. Hare, on a recent '■^Speculation'^ by Faraday. 251 



Thus while assuming the existence of fewer imponderable 

 causes than the celebrated author of the speculation has himself 

 proposed, we explain the conducting power of metals, without 

 being under the necessity of attributing to void space the prop- 

 erty of electrical conduction. Moreover, I consider it quite con- 

 sistent to suppose that the presence of the material power of 

 electricity is indispensable to electrical conduction, and that di- 

 versities in this faculty are due to the proportion of that material 

 power present, and the mode of its association with other matter. 

 The immense superiority of metals, as conductors, will be ex- 

 plained by referring it to their being peculiarly replete with the 

 material powers of heat and electricity. 



Hence Faraday's suggestions respecting the materiality of what 

 has heretofore been designated as the properties of bodies, furnish 

 the means of refuting his arguments against the existence of pon- 

 derable impenetrable atoms as the basis of cohesion, chemical 

 affinity, momentum and gravitation. 



But I will in the next place prove, that his suggestions not only 

 furnish an answer to his objections to the views in this respect 

 heretofore entertained, but are likewise pregnant with consequen- 

 ces directly inconsistent with the vievr of the subject which he 

 has recently presented. 



I have said that of all the powers of matter which ace, accord- 

 ing to Faraday's speculations, to be deemed material, gravitation 

 alone can be ponderable. Since gravitation, in common with 

 every power heretofore attributed to impenetrable particles, must 

 be a matter independently pervading the space throughout which 

 it is perceived, by what tie is it indissolubly attached to the rest ? 

 It cannot be pretended that either of the powers is the property 

 of another. Each of them is an wz, and cannot play the part of 

 an a, not only because an m cannot be an a, but because no a 

 can exist. Nor can it be advanced that they are the same power, 

 since chemical affinity and cohesion act only at insensible dis- 

 tances, while gravitation acts at any and every distance, with 

 forces inversely as their squares : and, moreover, the power of 

 chemical affinity is not commensurate with that of gravitation. 

 One part by weight of hydrogen has a greater affinity universally 

 for any other element, than two hundred parts of gold. By what 

 means then are cohesion, chemical affinity, and gravitation, inse- 

 parably associated, in all the ponderable elements of matter ? Is 



