THE EVOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS. 
133 
Mr. Lockyer’s work certainly furnishes us with new proofs 
of the existence of varying molecular groupings for one and 
the same element, and of the fact that these groupings be- 
come simpler as temperature is increased ; but I do not think 
that we are as yet compelled to believe that essentially new 
kinds of matter — that is, matter, the molecules of which are 
composed of atoms other than those composing the molecules of 
the original matter with which we started — are produced, even 
at extremely high temperatures. We may, perhaps, regard the 
molecules of our elements when in the gaseous state at moderate 
temperatures as consisting each of distinct atoms ; as temperature 
increases some of these molecules are partially decomposed, but 
without the production of new atoms, until, at extremely high 
temperatures, the greater portion of the mass of matter present 
exists in the true atomic condition. It may be that at yet 
higher temperatures, or under altogether different conditions, 
these atoms would themselves be decomposed, and that this 
process would proceed, until finally the primary atom, of which 
all our elementary atoms are but compounds, would be 
reached. 
On this view the formation of so-called elementary atoms, 
and again of so-called elementary molecules, would mark resting- 
places in the process of evolution, points of stable equilibrium 
in the cycle of development. But this is merely hypothetical. 
M. M. Pattison Muir. 
