1876.] 
and its Cosmical Revelations. 
521 
the atmosphere of other planets, and upon those of the sun 
and the stars, and would continue such aCtion until an 
equilibrium between the repulsive energy of the gas and the 
gravitation of the solid orbs had been established. Atmo- 
spheric matter would thus be universally diffused, with 
special accumulations around solid orbs, varying in quantity 
with their respective gravitating energy. Such a uni- 
versal atmosphere would accelerate orbital motion, and 
this acceleration would vary with the surface of bodies. 
Its adtion being thus exactly opposed to that of radiant 
repulsion, it must, at a certain density, exactly neutralise it. 
That it does this is evident from the obedience of all the 
elements of the solar system to the calculated aCtion of 
gravitation, and thus Mr. Crookes’s researches not only 
confirm the idea of universal atmospheric diffusion, but they 
afford a means by which we may ultimately measure the 
adual density of the universal atmosphere. If, as I have 
endeavoured to show, in my essay on “ The Fuel of the Sun,” 
the initial radiant energy of every star depends upon its mass, 
and its consequent condensation of atmospheric matter, the 
density of inter-planetary atmosphere sufficient to neutralise 
the radiant mechanical energy of our sun may be the same 
as is demanded to perform the same function for all the 
stars of the universe, and all their attendant worlds, comets, 
and meteors. 
In order to prevent misunderstanding of the above, I must 
add that I have therein studiously assumed a negative 
position, in reference to all hypothetical conceptions of the 
nature of heat, light, &c., and their modes of transmission, 
simply because I feel satisfied that the subject has hitherto 
been obscured and complicated by overstrained efforts to fit 
the phenomena to the excessively definite hypotheses of 
modern molecular mathematicians. The atoms invented by 
Dalton for the purpose of explaining the demonstrated laws 
of chemical combination, performed this function admirably 
and had great educational value, so long as their purely 
imaginary origin was kept in view, but when such atoms are 
treated as faCts, and physical dogmas are based upon the 
assumption of their aCtual existence, they become dangerous 
physical superstitions. Regarding matter as continuous, 
i.e., supposing it be simply as it appears to be — and co- 
extensive with the universe, in accordance with the experi- 
mental evidences of the unlimited expansibility of gaseous 
matter ; we need only assume that our sensations, and the 
other phenomena of heat, light, &c., are produced by aCtive 
conditions of such matter analogous to those which are 
