i88 3 J 
Correspondence . 
THE ELECTRO-MAGNETIC THEORY OF THE 
UNIVERSE. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science . 
Sir, — You have doubtless met with some notice of the memoir 
contributed to the New York “Journal of the Telegraph,” by H. 
Raymond Rogers, M.D., who considers “ magnetic inter-adtion ” 
as being the “ key to the whole subject of universal force and to 
the methods of its operation.”* Without going more closely 
into the details of this theory it seems to me very defective, as 
throwing no light whatever upon either the origin of the planetary 
bodies, or the power which set them in motion. It presupposes, 
e.g ., the sun and the planets made and and endowed with mag- 
netic force, and then set in motion, gravitation being thus 
generated. Dr. Rogers speaks of “ the motions of the celestial 
spheres, due to a primum mobile wholly undemonstrable.” Here, 
therefore, we have the greatest cosmic fadls either relegated to 
the realm of miracle or at least left utterly unexplained. I am 
surely warranted in asking whether Science is benefitted by such 
a hypothesis ? — I am, &c., 
A Lucretian. 
* » - 
AN APOLOGUE. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science . 
Sir, — Perceiving that you do not espouse the views on higher 
education just now fashionable in your country, I venture to 
send you a short apologue which may convey a lesson : — 
There were two nations, each in want of gold. The one, 
which we call A, set to work seriously to mine for gold, and to 
search for it in ores and furnace-produdfs. 
The other nation, B, did nothing of the sort. But instead it 
founded an assay-office in every village and a mint in every town, 
so that all existing gold might be “ hall-marked,” and might bear 
the royal imprint. Which nation increased its stock of gold ? 
* Our present issue contains an article which takes views not very dissimilar 
from those of D. H. R. Rogers. 
