46 Gravitation as a Factor [January, 
ultimately becoming apparently level, though as this is at a 
considerable distance from the shore, I cannot be absolutely 
certain. Let us now suppose that I hold in my hand a 
vessel hearing the same proportion to my minimised frame 
that a pint measure does to that of man as really existing, 
and that by adroit manipulation I contrive to fill it with 
water. If I invert the vessel, I find that the liquid will not 
flow out, and can only he dislodged by violent shocks, or by 
the removal of the atmospheric pressure from a part of its 
surface. After these and a few more observations and 
experiments easily conceivable, I sit down to theorise on 
the properties of water and of liquids in general. Shall I 
come to the conclusion that liquids seek their own level ; 
that their surfaces when at rest are horizontal, and that 
solids placed in a liquid sink or float according to their 
higher or lower specific gravity ? No ; I shall think myself 
justified in inferring that liquids, when at rest, tend to 
assume spherical, or at least curvilinear forms, whether con- 
vex or concave, depending upon circumstances not easily 
ascertained ; that they cannot be poured from one vessel 
into another, but, unlike solids, resist the law of gravitation, 
which is consequently not universal, and that such bodies 
as I can manipulate refuse to sink into liquids, whether 
their specific gravity be high or low. From the behaviour 
of a substance placed in contadt with the dewdrop I shall 
even derive plausible reasons for doubting the inertia of 
matter. All these changes in my interpretation of pheno- 
mena arise not from my becoming aware of any forces 
hitherto overlooked, still less from the disappearance of 
laws now recognised, but simply from the fadt that my sup- 
posed decrease in bodily size brings capillarity and cohesion 
into a relative prominence which they do not now possess. 
To rational beings of the adtual size of man the effedts of 
capillary attradtion and of the cohesion of liquids rank 
among the residual phenomena which only attradt attention 
when science has made some progress. To homunculi such 
as we have been supposing the same effedts would be of 
capital importance, and would be interpreted not as some- 
thing supplementary to those of general gravitation, but as 
due to an independent and possibly antagonistic force. 
Their vision might possibly surpass, in its power of deal- 
ing with minute objedts, even our most exquisitely finished 
microscopes. But this faculty, however invaluable to beings 
who could use it only when and where they might think 
desirable, would be rather bewildering than enlightening 
were it the only mode of vision. To see objedts at will with 
