90 GEOEGE JOHN KOMANES 1878- 



Of course it may be denied that all laws do follow 

 from the persistence of force. And this is what I 

 mean by the distinction between a scientific and a 

 logical proof. For in the last resort all scientific 

 proof goes upon the assumption that energy is per- 

 manent, so that if from this assumption all natural 

 laws and processes admit of being deduced, it follows 

 that for a scientific cosmology no further assumption 

 is required ; all the phenomena of Nature receive their 

 last or ultimate scientific explanation in this the most 

 ultimate of scientific hypotheses. But now logic 

 may come in and say, ' This hypothesis of the persist- 

 ence of force is no doubt verified and found constantly 

 true within the range of science {i.e. experience), so 

 that thus far it is not only an hypothesis but a fact. 

 But before logic can consent to allow this ultimate 

 fact of science to be made the ultimate basis of all 

 cosmology, I must be shown that it is ultimate, not 

 merely in relation to human modes of research, but 

 also in a sense absolute to all else.' 



But the more I think about the whole thing the 

 more am I convinced that you put it into a nutshell 

 when you were here, and that there is about as much 

 use in trying to illuminate the subject with the light 

 of intellect as there would be in trying to illuminate 

 the midnight sky with a candle. I intend, therefore, 

 to drop it, and to take the advice of the poet, ' Be- 

 lieve it not, regret it not, but wait it out, Man.' 



G. J. E. 



I return the papers, having taken down the re- 

 ferences. The books I shall return when read, but 

 honey-mooning may prolong the time. 



