﻿286 On the Fundamental Principles of Molecular Physics. 



Very well : but if the conjecture is " a possible and perhaps 

 probable conception," the action of electric aether (prescinding 

 from the surrounding luminiferous aether) is not yet proved to 

 be repulsive. Then the electric aether itself, as distinct from 

 luminiferous aether, might be attractive. What then becomes 

 of the " established truth " and of " the real fundamental prin- 

 ciple " that the atoms of electric aether repel each other ? Pro- 

 fessor Norton will say that the word " electric aether " includes 

 not only the atom, but also the atmosphere of luminiferous 

 aether condensed around it. But how then is electric aether one 

 special form of matter, since it implies two ? 



All this I did not and do not yet understand : and such 

 being the case, I must confess that it was simply impossible for 

 me to guess at any other meaning that Professor Norton's words 

 might consistently bear, except that which I ventured to ex- 

 press in my objection. 



The learned Professor adds : 



"It is a little singular, in view of this distinct statement of the 

 manner in which the repulsion might result from a possible attrac- 

 tion, 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." 



Professor Norton will at any rate acknowledge that my ques- 

 tion will cease to be singular, if I modify it in the following 

 manner : — " If electric aether is of itself possibly attractive, how 

 can we assume as an established truth and a fundamental prin- 

 ciple that the two aethers differ only in subtlety and are both re- 

 pulsive ? " 



He concludes : 



" It is, in fact, altogether immaterial whether the mutual repulsion 

 of electric atoms is indirect as conjectured or direct." 



I reply that the difference is very material in a theory which 

 teaches the existence of two repulsive forms of matter. For if 

 the electric atoms repel only indirectly, viz. by the help of an 

 atmosphere of luminiferous aether, such repulsion is due to lu- 

 miniferous aether alone. Accordingly the electric aether would 

 not be a second repulsive form of matter. This inference can- 

 not be regarded as immaterial by one who maintains the exist- 

 ence of two repulsive aethers differing only in subtlety as an es- 

 tablished truth. 



To sum up. I have shown, I believe, that Professor Norton's 

 attempt towards solving my objections has proved unsuccessful. 

 Accordingly, though he says in his concluding statement : " It 

 has now been made sufficiently apparent that the objections 

 urged against my theory of Molecular Physics have no real 



