406 



SCIENCE. 



mind why such force should not be regarded as a real 

 substance — as literally and truly an entity, as is the air 

 we breathe." 



The two fundamental principles having been ascer- 

 tained, our acquaintance with the essential nature of the 

 primordial force depends upon the use we make of our 

 positive knowledge of the specific operations of the sev- 

 eral forms of force, as now, for the first time, we are en- 

 abled to understand and interpret them. Since we are 

 just beginning to appreciate the great law of conserva- 

 tion of force and the great fact of the unity of all the 

 forces, a better reading of physical phenomena is ren- 

 dered possible. By these data we plainly read that this 

 force is electric in its constitution. We claim that the 

 electric theory is a factor in the explanation of all the 

 phenomena. 



We are able to perceive that a great celestial battery 

 is in operation, to which the primordial force owes its 

 perpetual development ; a battery differing from our own 

 magneto, and dynamo-electric batteries only in scale of 

 operation. It has the same essential constitution, and 

 modus operandi. Quite like the battery of man's con- 

 struction, the celestial battery requires the co-operation 

 of two elements, either of which, acting independently, 

 is incapable of producing force, but acting in concert, the 

 two develop all known forces of the universe. These two 

 elements which have never yet been adequately associated 

 in the interpretation of the phenomena of gravity, heat, 

 light, etc, are motion and magnetism ; the motions of 

 the celestial spheres, and the magnetic constituent of each 

 celestial sphere. True, the scientific world has vaguely 

 conceived of the development of power through the 

 agency of celestial motions, but it has failed to formulate 

 any exact philosophy of the manner in which those mo- 

 tions should develop actual force. Such a philosophy is 

 accessible. 



It is known that the earth is a vast magnet, having a 

 magnetic axis nearly corresponding to its geographical 

 axis, and terminating in a positive, or northern pole, and 

 in a negative, or southern pole. But the earth's inherent 

 magnetic force must remain purely potential, or static, 

 and without the ability to act, or to move, except through 

 the co-operation of a separate and independent force, 

 whereby this static magnetism may be converted into 

 active, vital currents. From our experience with the 

 electric batten - , we know that motion, and change of 

 polarity, are capable of producing vital, active force, from 

 force inert and dormant. In the celestial, as in the 

 terrestial battery, motion and change of polarity are pre- 

 requisite to the awakening of inert, dormant force, into 

 vital, active force. 



That electricity may be obtained from magnetism by 

 motion, or that magnetism, conjoined with motion, may 

 be made the source of electricity, is well understood. So, 

 by their unceasing rotation the magnetic sun and earth 

 furnish both the needed motions, and the incessant 

 change of polarity, which are requisite to the completion 

 of the celestial battery. Thus, through the medium of 

 revolving celestial armatures, acting upon celestial mag- 

 nets, statics are converted into dynamics, on a scale 

 commensurate with the demands of the universe ; and 

 that dream of the ages, perpetual motion, is found a re- 

 alized fact in nature. 



All space being pure vacuum, distance is virtually an- 

 nihilated, and all the spheres are brought relatively into 

 close proximity, Mercury, 37,000,000 of miles from the 

 sun, and Neptune 2,800,000,000 of miles, stand alike in 

 their relation with the great central orb. This condition 1 

 is thus favorable to such " action at a distance," as is 

 found indispensable to the inter-communications going 

 on between the bodies which constitute the universe of 

 matter. The fact of instantaneous action at a distance, 

 and without a medium of transmission, though ques- 

 tioned, is demonstrated in the action of gravity. 



Through the operation of the celestial battery a great 



current of force is incessantly in motion from the sun to 

 the earth. Both the law of conservation, and the law of 

 magnetic action, demand that a current of equal propor- 

 tion shall as incessantly return from the earth, to the sun ; 

 — the one current cannot for a moment exist without the 

 other. Were this return current interrupted, the light of 

 the sun would instantaneously cease, all life would be- 

 come extinct, and, the power of cohesion being sus- 

 pended, the earth and everything thereon would return 

 to their original elements, and vanish into space. In 

 this action, and retro-action, we find a grand magnetic 

 circuit between the earth and sun, through the operation 

 of which the earth's portion of the primordial force is 

 utilized. The same conditions which exist between the 

 sun and earth, as described, exist also between every 

 satellite and its primary, and between the star-suns of 

 the universe. 



Solomon was wiser in some respects than the 

 scientists of the present day. He says that " The wind 

 returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers 

 run into the sea, yet the sea is not lull ; unto the place 

 from whence the rivers come, thither they return again." 

 Science recognizes the immense movement of force from 

 the sun to the earth, — but has she made sufficient ac- 

 count of the fact that the earth is not full ? Has she 

 recognized the fact that back to the sun again, in some 

 form or other, the rivers of energy must return in cease- 

 less circuit ? And yet, the law of conservation demands 

 it, and the electrical theory satisfies the demand. 



The various manifestations, or affections, of the prim- 

 ordial force which receive the appellation of the great 

 physical forces have their fullest and clearest explanation 

 through the interpretation given by the electrical theory. 



GRAVITY CONSIDERED AS AN AFFECTION OF THE 

 PRIMORDIAL FORCE. 



Science has strangely neglected to examine the field 

 which gives best promise of an ultimately satisfactory 

 explanation of this phenomena. 



According to the present popular philosophy, "gravity 

 acts directly as the mass, and inversely as the square of 

 the distance." FARADAY says, " The received idea of 

 gravity appears to me to ignore entirely the principle of 

 the conservation of force, and, by the terms of its defini- 

 tion, if taken in an absolute sense, ' varying inversely as 

 the square of the distance ' to be in direct opposition to 

 it." 



If gravity acts directly as the mass, then surely, as the 

 sun's mass is constant, and the earth's mass is also con- 

 stant, the force of attraction should at all times remain 

 invariable, and the earth's orbit should consequently be a 

 true circle, instead of an ellipse. If gravity acts inversely 

 as the square of the distance, then the earth at aphelion 

 could not without the aid of some other force or inter- 

 fering cause, be returned to perihe'ion. but the lessening 

 attraction would permit it to move on indefinitely into 

 space. 



The electrical theory, however, suggests a more ra- 

 tional, clear, and satisfactory philosophy, and makes pro- 

 vision for the ell.ptical orbit of the members of the solar 

 system. In order that the earth's orbit, for example, 

 should be elliptical, the mutual attraction existing be- 

 tween the sun and the earth must necessarily increase 

 and diminish with mathematical exactness and regu- 

 larity. To such regularly varying attraction, and to no 

 other cause, can the ellipticity be due. Attraction is 

 greatest about the 21st of December when the two bodies 

 are nearest each other, and least about the 21st of June, 

 when they are relatively the most distant. Whether the 

 attraction between the sun and earth shall be greater, or 

 shall be less, depends altogether upon their relative 

 position. Thus when the earth's south-pole presents 

 nearest the sun, the attraction between the two bodies is 

 the greatest, and when the earth's north-pole so presents, 



