W. A. Norton—Molecular and Cosmical Physics. 
then the impulse on m, from the reflected wave ae will be 
—b es ; ; 
>, whereas the gravitating force of m toward n is ba or 5; 
— ee 
or, owing to the indefinite extent of the conical frustrum, e'nd’, 
not sensibly different from 5 (for all the points of m). It is to 
be observed that - will always be an exceedingly minute frac- 
i —b : Be 
tion, and therefore 5 excessively small, as compared with =. 
It will be evident, on considering the varying size of the 
cones cmd, c’md’, as the distance m n is supposed to vary, that 
the effective force of gravity, >> Will conform to the law of 
inverse squares. It may also be shown, by means of the fun- 
damental ideas just presented, that if we regard every atom of 
ordinary matter as made up of ethereal or other atoms of equal 
size (in accordance with our fundamental conception, p. 331); 
the entire force of gravitation of one body of matter toward 
another, will be proportional to the product of the masses of 
the two bodies, and inversely proportional to the square of the 
distance between their centers.* If we adopt the other posse 
ble conception, that an atom of ordinary matter is one copunu 
ous homogeneous mass, impenetrable at all points to the ethereal 
wave-force, then the force of gravitation of one atom, ™, toward 
another, , will be proportional to the surface of each ; ina a 
. Z 
present the comparative superficial dimensions of the atoms. : 
Y n be urged in favor 
of adopting the theory thus briefly set forth of the possible 
itati 
: 
variance with the notion that the atoms of ordinary : 
are not made up of ethereal atoms; as we have just seen. hich 
. The hypothesis that the ethereal repulsion from ii 
the force of gravity is derived is made up of definite impmt"' 
leads to the law of inverse squares, as the law of propagation 8 
of the wave-force onigiietad We it. 
* See this Journal, Jan., 1870. 
