24 THOUGHTS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 
simple, or intricate, and exquisite beauty. My definitions, 
therefore, are more for practical use, than absolutely correct. 
The ether waves strike upon the receiver, and the material 
motion is again transformed into electricity, or material 
motion and stress within an insulating envelope. If this is 
true it gives us a beautiful illustration of the transforming of 
electricity into mere material motion, and of that motion 
again into electricity. It also suggests what looks like a 
matter of great practical importance. If it is correct, it 
appears possible that electrical engineers will be able in the 
future to do without many millions of miles of that very 
expensive material copper wire, and that with the insertion 
of an antenna at one end and a receiver at the other of their 
insulated tube (now called cable) they may be able to force 
aiong the tube, and to store their electricity in the accumu- 
lators. This with the cheapening of the cost of dynamos 
should save untold millions for the human race. 
But to return to our main subject. Nature’s method is 
the electro-magnetic, cell mode, she is constantly forming 
non-living, as well as living cells; and if the adage “ all cells 
from cells ’’ is true, as no doubt it is, the living cells must 
have proceeded from the non-living. The mistake has been 
in not carrying the cell theory into inanimate as well as 
animate nature, thus making the cell theory true to nature. 
Electricity is material motion and stress within an envelope. 
If the enveloping matter is not sufficiently strong, has a weak 
spot, a breach occurs, and the electricity rushes into what, if 
the insulation is sufficient, becomes another insulated con- 
tainer of electric power (say a reservoir or cell) and this 
process is continually going on in nature, and must do so, is 
inevitable from its constitution and motion; and is one of its 
most constant processes. Cells, or containers, of many 
shapes and sizes are continually being formed and broken up, 
