56 
But this is only the first step in the internal antagonisms of 
this material philosophy. First, physicists are not agreed 
whether matter is to reign alone, or whether there is an ether 
also, to share its dominion. M. Comte, Justice Grove, and 
some others, hold the first alternative, but nine-tenths of 
scientific students adopt the other view. In this, I believe, 
they are fully justified by the facts of science. But then we 
have, in this one fact, a barrier which the tide-wave of mate- 
rialism can never surmount, and though its waves may toss 
themselves, they can never prevail against it. It is hard and 
impossible to conceive of millions or trillions of atoms creating 
themselves. But it is harder and still more impossible to 
conceive that each of them chooses in the moment of its birth, 
whether it shall become an atom of matter or one of ether. 
Let us briefly compare our knowledge and ignorance on this 
question of the nature of matter, so fundamental in the philo- 
sophy of materialism. We know, first, in spite of Mr. Mill's 
dissent, that matter does exist, is an objective reality, and no 
mere possibility of mental sensations. We know, next, in 
contrast to Mr. Spencer, that some knowledge of its proper- 
ties is attainable, and that it does not belong to an Absolute 
Something wholly unknowable. We have strong reason to 
believe that it is composed of ultimate atoms, whether finite 
in size, or force-centres and points, whether of various shapes 
or spheres only. My conviction is that we may know further 
that the vortex atoms of Helmholtz are impossible figments, 
and that the hypothesis, instead of being self-consistent, in- 
volves more than one direct and essential contradiction. But 
what do we know beside concerning its nature? Almost 
nothing. We do not know certainly whether these atoms are 
finite in size, or force-centres, whether various in shape, if 
finite, or spheres ; whether the chemical elements have atoms 
essentially distinct, or convertible into each other ; whether or 
not these atoms have any powers at all, except change of place, 
attraction and repulsion, or appetency and aversion. In their 
laws, as detected by science, there is nothing at all which can 
explain either their number, why they are not fewer or more 
numerous ; or their position, why they are at such and such 
distances and in such directions, and not in others ; or their dis- 
tinctive laws of mutual action, in approaching to or receding 
from each other. For all these there is and can be no key or 
reasonable explanation, but in the decree and will of an all- 
wise Creator, the Supreme Lord and Architect of the material 
universe. 
If I. The Existence and Nature of Ether is a third subject, on 
