in Causal Research. 365 



for one moment that this complete helplessness is in truth a 

 necessary thing, or that it is any thing more than the natural 

 consequence of a single departure from the strict and defined 

 path of reason, by making an assumption without a definite con- 

 ception to base it upon ? A single false step may well be fatal 

 if it involves the departure from a system (or the overthrow 

 of a guiding principle). 



No doubt the above theory, suggested as a groundwork for 

 the constitution of the aether, will, from its very definiteness, 

 be specially liable to attack, since there will not be the power 

 of" saving appearances," by introducing first one hypothetical 

 " force " and then another, that belongs to the plastic statical 

 theories. My object, however, has not been so much to 

 suggest a theory as to point to the necessity for a system in 

 order to find one. Difficulties may naturally be expected to 

 present themselves at first. If, however, the theory suggested 

 were only capable of explaining a single fact, such for instance 

 as the absence of resistance of the aether to the passage of bodies, 

 then even this might fairly be regarded as more satisfactory 

 than those dogmatic assumptions that exclude all possible ex- 

 planation so long as they are adhered to. The theory at least 

 shows the aether to be a body necessarily uniform as to density 

 and pressure, and enclosing a store of concealed energy of 

 probably enormous value in a small volume of space, this 

 latter quality being precisely that required to render the aether 

 fitted to be a powerful motive agent, capable of playing a 

 most important part in the everyday operations of nature. 

 Who shall estimate the practical (I might say the industrial) 

 value of a study that deals with the source of the motions 

 developed in gross matter generally ? and, since knowledge 

 itself is power, who can positively say beforehand how far a 

 clear realization of the existence of these exhaustless stores of 

 motion may go towards their possible practical utilization 

 under more advantageous conditions ? 



But the universal recognition of the immense power of a 

 method gained by the complete renunciation of " force," would 

 probably be of far more value than the discovery of any con- 

 crete facts, since the appreciation of the worth of a method 

 may afford the indispensable key to a science of discovery. 

 That no method or system exists, and therefore that the 

 essential condition for a successful research into the hidden 

 nature of physical causes is entirely wanting, so long as the 

 spiritualistic notion of " force " is adhered to, is at least an 

 absolute certainty, of which any one can convince himself 

 without much thought, and that independently of taking the 

 trouble to inquire into the legitimacy of the assumption of 



