Mr. W. H. Walenir's Remarks on the Atomic Theory. 125 



lative numerical values, — e.g. Hofmann's crith, the British Asso- 

 ciation unit of electric resistance, horse-power as a unit of motive 

 power, and Sir Benjamin Brodie's a. (which is the symbol of that 

 portion of hydrogen that occupies the volume of 1000 cubic cen- 

 timetres at 0°C. and a pressure of 760 millimetres of mercury). 

 In an analogous way, a gramme of hydrogen, sixteen grammes 

 of oxygen, fourteen grammes of nitrogen, &c. may be conveni- 

 ently taken to realize and apply both theoretically and practically 

 the combining proportions of various chemical substances. 



In reference to the third point, the circumscribed ideas that 

 spring from the atomic theory led to the belief, more or less 

 established according to the mind that receives the theory, that 

 atoms were spherical and separated by space from each other. 

 The difficulties of this position in the present state of science are 

 so great that even Dr. Williamson disclaims any specific state- 

 ment about the shape of atoms, thereby removing still further 

 from the region of fact the atoms that are dealt with in his paper ; 

 for to accept the existence of a certain portion of matter without 

 even knowing its form is certainly not impossible, but neverthe- 

 less adding one more to the points of evidence that may be ad- 

 duced against its existence at all. If the train of reasoning 

 respecting the inability to annihilate matter by continued divi- 

 sion be adopted, it follows that however small a particle be taken 

 to reason upon, if it be a crystal, for instance, it must have the 

 same shape as the mass from which it is derived. However 

 small a piece of chloride of sodium be taken, as crystallized at 

 common temperatures, it will be a cube ; if crystallization takes 

 place at a temperature below freezing-point, prismatic crystals 

 containing water of crystallization will be obtained. By carrying 

 out this line of argument in other cases of crystallization, it will 

 be clearly seen that the smallest particles that be can conceived 

 at a given temperature are of the same shape as that of the mass 

 whence they are derived at the same temperature. This method 

 of analyzing the question dispenses entirely with the inert little 

 lumps that the atomic theory presupposes, and may enable crys- 

 tallization, for instance, to be followed out in all its bearings 

 without the encumbering element of weight. The action of other 

 forces upon matter may possibly be investigated thus, without 

 the consideration of weight : these forces doubtless manifest 

 themselves by vibrations of a greater or less extent and of various 

 configurations ; among them are the mechanical vibrations 

 which produce sound, the luminous vibrations which give light, 

 and the chemical vibrations which form the actinic force. 



If another argument were required to show that these very 

 atoms, which some minds consider so tangible, have only an ex- 

 istence in the minds of atomists and not a real existence, the fact 



