242 W. Crookes— Radiant Matter. 
ence of Radiant Matter is as yet unproved, and then press 
e proba- 
*“T may now notice a curious progression in physical properties accompany- 
ing changes of form, and which is perhaps sufficient to induce, in the inveenye 
onc’ Sanguine philosopher, a considerable degree of belief in the association 
the radiant form with the others in the set of cha i 
“ As we ascend from the solid to the fluid and gaseous states, physical proper 
ties diminish in number ety, each state losing some of those which 
belonged the p: 
So! 
parency, and a general mobility of particles is 
“ Passing onw to t us ste 
g onward state, still more of the evident characters of 
bodies are annihilated, e differen eight almost disap- : 
pear; the remains of diffe: | color that were left, are } Trans 5 
universal, and they are all elastic. They now form but one set of sub- 
stan d , hardness, opacity, color and form, 
which render the number of solids and fluids almost infinite, are now supplied by 
a few slight in wei; d some unimporta color. 
* _ “To those, therefore, who admit the tadiant form of matter, no difficulty exists 
ai 
avor, persons show you a gradual resignation of prope oo ity the mabe 
We can appreciate as the matter ascends in le of forms, and they would 
Surprised if that effect were to cease at the gaseous state. They point isirtere 
ntly, if oarpct Nature makes at each step of the change, Oe ee a 
consistently, i ought to be greatest in the passage from the gaseous to th 
form.” —Life and Letters of Faraday, vol. i, p. 308. 
