Mr. W. H. Walenn's Remarks on the Atomic Theory. 123 



tenets respecting the formation of all things from atoms which 

 existed from all eternity, as well as the moderate views of M. 

 Laurent, he adheres in the most absolute manner to the belief of 

 Dalton, that all bodies are composed of atoms which, however 

 small, have a definite size and weight, and that by the varied 

 combinations of these atoms all chemical substances may be pro- 

 duced; further, Dr. Williamson apparently believes this propo- 

 sition to be incontrovertibly proved. 



3. In regard to the consequences of points 1 and 2 : — The 

 atomists must be prepared to commit themselves to the conse- 

 quences of their dogmas as well as to the dogmas themselves. 

 Partly owing to the limited and isolated nature of the atomic 

 theory, and partly to the inert condition imposed by it upon the 

 mind, the individual characteristics of different chemical sub- 

 stances are not readily taken into account. The condition of 

 matter as a force-carrier, or as a means of manifesting certain 

 forces, is entirely ignored by the atomic theory, and is thereby 

 placed beyond the reach of the chemical mind ; the only force 

 that is recognized is that of gravity, the exponent of which is 

 weight. The atomic theory comprises only the idea of little 

 lumps of various kinds of matter with their relative weights and 

 combining numbers ; it then totally and entirely stops. 



The unity and harmony of true science is a principle which 

 the mind of man has always either tacitly admitted or explicitly 

 believed. It is upon this basis, and from a physico-mathematical 

 point of view, that the above-mentioned points will now be very 

 briefly considered. 



In reference to the first point, it is unfortunate that in many 

 parts of his paper Dr. Williamson writes of atoms and atomic 

 weights as if the existence of atoms was proved, whereas his 

 avowed object is to prove the existence of those atoms. There 

 can be no doubt that Dr. Williamson has served science well and 

 has done that which will greatly promote the progress of scien- 

 tific truth ; he has put forward his ideas in a most definite man- 

 ner, and in a way which affords a faithful representation of the 

 views of a large class of chemists ; but many will fail to find the 

 subject logically treated at his hands, his results being isolated 

 from the facts from which he deduces them, and the reasoning 

 employed being discontinuous and not by any means leading to 

 the end he is desirous of establishing. Any one of the various 

 points of evidence that is brought to bear on the atomic theory 

 is sufficient to cast a grave doubt upon its truth ; and the whole 

 testimony fully warrants chemists in using the prudent and mo- 

 derate language of Dr. Roscoe rather than such positive asser- 

 tions : — " The law of multiple proportions, being founded on ex- 

 perimental facts, stands as a fixed bulwark of the science, which 



