﻿108 Prof. W. A. Norton on the Fundamental 



conception, to be a fundamental principle of my theory. The 

 real fundamental principle was that the atoms of electric sether 

 repelled each other; and it was merely conjectured that this re- 

 pulsion might be due to atmospheres of luminiferous sether 

 condensed around the electric atoms, instead of being a repulsive 

 action. It is a little singular, in view of this distinct state- 

 ment of the manner in which the repulsion might result from a 

 possible attraction, that our author should ask the question, 

 " Now, if the atoms of electric aether are repulsive, how can they 

 attract ? " and thereupon intimate the existence of a discrepancy 

 fatal to the theory. It is, in fact, altogether immaterial whether 

 the mutual repulsion of electric atoms is indirect as conjectured, 

 or direct. 



It has now been made sufficiently apparent that the objections 

 urged against my theory of molecular physics have no real force, 

 and that its fundamental principles have not been disturbed. 

 Whether it will ultimately be " adopted in science " or not must 

 depend upon its availability in rendering a satisfactory account 

 of phenomena, and its ability to withstand the test of a detailed 

 comparison with the entire range of physical facts. If life and 

 health are granted me, I shall endeavour in good time to show, 

 to the satisfaction of every candid mind, that the natural pheno- 

 mena and experimental results, with their laws and features of 

 diversity, that make up the different departments of physics are 

 legitimately deducible from the fundamental principles of the 

 theory, and that it presents claims to acceptance superior to 

 those which can be urged in favour of any other theory. 



The attempt to deduce the existing constitution of things and 

 prominent phenomena by Professor Bayma from his fundamental 

 ideas, so far as made, has certainly failed at several important 

 points. To specify one or two of these. He obtains a curve of 

 molecular action that represents a repulsion at the smallest dis- 

 tances succeeded by an attraction at greater distances. This 

 can only be made to represent the three states of bodies by con- 

 ceiving the molecules of a gas to be in such a condition that, if 

 it were entirely freed from pressure, it would expand into a 

 liquid. We know that many gases can be compressed into a 

 liquid, but it is altogether gratuitous to suppose that they could be 

 brought into a similar condition by a diminution of pressure. 

 Experiment has given no indication of such a result or tendency. 



Heat and light he conceives to originate in vibrations of gross 

 molecules ; but against this notion, as I shall take another occa- 

 sion to show, insuperable objections may be urged. If this be 

 given up, his explanation of the changes of the state of bodies 

 must also be abandoned. 



The doctrine that " transparent bodies transmit rays of light 



