i88i.] 
Some Results of Gravitation . 
709 
the most effective energy of gravity being in the line of the 
axis. The same results must arise as in the case of a planet. 
The region of greatest gravity would be originally at the 
surface, but would extend inwardly as compression was pro- 
duced. But at a certain distance inward a limiting region 
would be reached at which upward and downward attraction 
was balanced, and the mass would grow more rare from that 
region to the centre. Also the centrifugal energy of rotation, 
by its resistance to gravity, would tend to bring the region 
of greatest compression nearer the surface. In short, if the 
energy of rotation was considerable as compared with that 
of condensation, the original globular mass might become 
a flattened disk of condensed matter. From the surface 
region of greatest condensation matter would become more 
and more rare to the centre, and also more and more rare 
outwardly, shading off into the exterior disintegrated 
matter. 
There could be no sharp lines of demarcation as between 
the solid and gaseous surfaces of the earth ; but the atom 
would be represented by a gaseous earth, with a region of 
greatest compression, and a rarity increasing regularly to 
the centre and regularly outward to the atmospheric limit. 
Its vigour of rotation must also decrease outwardly, and 
gradually shade off into the motion of free exterior matter, 
as in a former paper I have supposed the atmosphere of the 
earth to do. In short, I suppose an atom to be an exaCt 
analogue. of a gaseous earth in which the utmost possible 
effects of gravitation have been produced, whose substance 
shades off into, and is practically continuous with, that of 
interspace, and whose motion of rotation gradually decreases 
outwardly through friction, as the energy of the centripetal 
attraction is reduced by distance, until finally all motion of 
rotation is lost. The atom would differ from the earth prin- 
cipally in having no inter-condensation of its material, it 
being an aggregation of disintegrated instead of integrated 
matter. 
Assuming that what is usually called Ether is simply dis- 
integrated matter, the atom would be a rotating aggregate 
of condensed ether, with an atmosphere shading off into the 
rare ether. Between atoms, as between spheres, there would 
be a region of free ether. And the possible quantity of atom 
formation must be governed by the same laws that limit 
spheral aggregation. For the condensation of ether into 
atoms must yield sensible heat on the same principle as in 
the condensation of atoms into spheres. This condensation 
of a portion of the ether must also rarify the remainder, and 
