1154 The Relations of Mind and Matter. [ December, 
matter. We know that the sun exists because its energy is trans- 
mitted to the earth by the ether, and acts upon the matter of the 
earth, Were not the ether a perfect transparent to this material 
energy we could never become aware of the existence of sun and 
stars, since their light and heat-rays would be swallowed up long 
before they could reach us. 
Ether is, in fact, the most homogeneous body in the universe. 
It is in a state of motor equilibrium, its motions probably being 
exceedingly more rapid than those of ordinary matter. It has 
no direct motor relations with matter, but transmits to distant 
matter all motion forced upon it, by aid of the vibrations of its par- 
ticles or separate portions, which are localized in position, like 
those of the solid. J. Clerk Maxwell speaks of it as follows: 
_ “ Whether this vast homogeneous mass of isotropic matter is fitted 
not only to be a medium of physical interaction between distant 
_ bodies, and to fulfill other physical functions of which, perhaps, 
we have as yet no conception, but also, as the authors of the 
Unseen Universe seem to suggest, to constitute the material organ- 
ism of beings exercising functions of life and mind as high as or 
higher than ours at present, is a question far transcending the 
limits of physical speculation.”! 
Not having read the Unseen Universe, I am unaware of the 
: precise character of its speculations, yet I cannot imagine the 
luminiferous ether as possessed of such powers. For life and 
mind organization seems necessary, and organized ether is dis- 
tinct from free ether, and must be some condition analogous to 
matter, which is probably one form of organized ether. Bound 
ether, or atom atmosphere, may represent such a second state of 
organized ether. For all we know to the contrary a second series 
of atoms may be formed by this condensing action of matter on 
ether, atoms intimately connected with matter and assimilated 
with it in motion, yet differing in density of substance and motor 
rapidity. It may be possible that several series of such atoms 
exist between matter and ether, each sapable, of forming a basis 
of life and mind. Whether orig y, or each rarer 
series formed by the condensing Aon a denser series, the 
