17 ‘^ 
the individual movement of a multitude of particles whose 
simultaneous movement is observable as mechanical trans- 
lation, it is but reasonable to suppose that a force acting 
upon all, but from the circumstances of the case incapable 
of producing a simultaneous and concordant movement, will 
produce an individual and in a sense discordant motion of 
those same particles. Looking at the matter in this way, 
any agglomeration of particles whatever must have some 
initial heat as a result of that gravitation which is unable 
to evince itself as mechanical translation. And as in our 
experience gravity is unceasing, this heat so far as we can 
see should be never ending during the continuance of those 
conditions which prevent the movement of translation. 
And a never ending supply of heat must cause an elevation 
of temperature which will only cease when a point is reached 
at which the rapidity of radiation equals the rapidity of 
supply. The more numerous the particles composing the 
agglomerated body the less become the opportunities of 
radiation and the more elevated the temperature, which 
latter attains its maximum in our own system in the 
instance of the stupendous body which maintains the super- 
ficial mundane heat by irradiation from its fires. 
It will be seen that the theory here projected places itself 
in antagonism with the doctrine that '' a stone high up” has 
anything which can be justly termed “the energy of posi* 
tion.” But I have already occupied sufficient time without 
staying now to combat further the doctrine I have named. 
To those who have been accustomed to regard gravitation 
as a property which enables bodies to act where they are 
not, the present considerations will present difficulties not 
encountered by others who accept the beautiful, and to my 
thinking more rational, hypothesis that the simple mechani- 
cal movement of infinitesimal particles is the immediate 
cause of that grand effect the law of universal gravitation. 
