3i8 THE ORIGIN OF LIFE 



energy of the molecular aggregates is lowered in 

 frequency and delivered up to the aether. The 

 extent to which this is accomplished depends upon 

 the proximity of the corpuscles, and that again 

 wiU depend upon their velocity, so that the greater 

 its velocity, the more closely will it approach the 

 rotating gyrostatic system of electrons in the atom, 

 and cause them to give up some of their energy 

 to the aether. We presuppose, therefore, the exist- 

 ence of these free corpuscles in a substance, and 

 it is implied they must be made to approach a 

 molecule with some considerable violence before 

 the internal energy can be transformed down and 

 the molecule become luminous. This is accom- 

 plished by the aid of great aggregates of mole- 

 cules. The change of refrangibUity of light and 

 the change of absorption are once more the necessary 

 consequences of the approach of a corpuscle to the 

 gyrostatic system of electrons. If the absorption 

 spectrum is in the ultra-violet it is lowered in a 

 particular molecule, while fluorescing, to the visible 

 part of the spectrum. This spectrum of the 

 emitted light will be the same whether the fluores- 

 cence is excited by ultra-violet light or by cathode 

 rays, since in every case it is the approach of the 

 corpuscle to its partner that causes the luminosity. 

 The internal motions in the atom are brought 

 within the reach of our visible spectrum under the 

 influence of neighbouring corpuscles, by whose 

 presence it is enabled to rid itself of some of 

 its internal energy. The periods corresponding to 



