THE RADIOMETER. 
181 
high intellectual standard by the supposition ; still less to connect 
the undoubtedly false hypothesis with his peculiar theological 
tenets. 
Very little that was new came out of the long correspondence 
named above. The topic, already well threshed out, was 
threshed over again ; the only grain of novelty being a differ- 
ence between Professor Reynolds and Mr. Storey as to the exact 
proportion in which molecular motion and convection currents 
conduce to the ultimate result. 
Perhaps one remark may be justifiable on the subject of 
spiritualism, so quaintly superinduced on matter apparently 
irrelevant ; namely, that the candid and impartial tone through- 
out maintained by the discoverer of the radiometer leads to the 
belief that his apparent support of spiritualism is not so much 
•credence, or an 6 act of faith,’ as a characteristic determination 
to examine any supposed fact, or series of asserted phenomena, 
with the widest liberality and the utmost willingness to be 
taught. To some minds it seems an anterior axiom that dis- 
crepant or unexplained observations should be tested by the 
method of strict investigation. Dr. Carpenter, on the other 
hand, refers to the general common sense of mankind, and of 
scientific men in particular, as having put spiritualism out of 
the pale of belief. It has, like an Athenian of old, been ostra- 
cized by popular disapproval. It is not to be denied, however, 
that the determination to explore, even in the face of d priori 
improbability, is more characteristic of the scientific temper ; 
and to attempt to coerce such exploration by appeals to the 
consensus omnium bonorum may perhaps be learnedly named 
an act of scientific hyper-Grundyism. 
W. H. Stone. 
