WHY WAS NOT THIS DISCOVERY SOONER MADE?
It may be asked, why should the discovery of this great source of all
the forces, vital and physical, have been delayed to the present time?
Master minds have been engaged for ages in efforts to solve the
wonderful problem.
HERSCHEL, NEWTON, HUMBOLDT, FARADAY, MOSSOTTI, and many others have held
the _key_ almost within their control, and the consummation has only
failed of being realized at an earlier day by reason of the tenacity
with which the minds of men are held by preconceived and pre-existing
opinions.
SIR WILLIAM HERSCHEL regarded solar and stellar light as the effects of
an _electro-magnetic_ process.
NEWTON recognized all movements of the cosmical bodies to be the result
of one and the same force; "_of some higher_ and _still unknown power_,"
but luminiferous ether shaded his mental vision, and he failed to
discern that power. In his investigations of those great subjects he is
led to ask, "Are not the sun, and fixed stars, great earths, vehemently
hot?"
HUMBOLDT said: "It is indeed a brilliant effort, worthy of the human
mind, to comprise in one organic whole, the entire science of nature,
from the laws of gravity to the formative impulse in animated bodies;"
but the preoccupation of his vast mind, and the hold of pre-existing
ideas, offered difficulties to the solution of the problem. But, note
the approximation of his ideas to those herein expressed, he said: "The
sun, as the main source of light and heat, must be able to call forth
and animate magnetic forces on our planet." Unfortunately, however, he
continues thus: "and more especially in the gaseous strata of our
atmosphere."
FARADAY, perhaps the most distinguished man, in the whole of his own
field, which the world has ever produced, recognizing the power of this
great obstacle to true advancement (_i. e._, preconceived and
pre-existing ideas), once said: "When such a one as myself gets out of
the way, then new conditions, new men, new views, new opportunities,
may allow of the development of other lines of active operation than
those heretofore in service." He believed in the existence of one great
universal principle, from which gravity, heat, light, electricity,
magnetism, even life itself might come. He spent many of his latest
years in efforts to solve this great problem, and on his failure he
asked: "Is it all a dream?" He never, however, wavered in his faith, and
his last efforts were directed to that end.
With prophetic vision, almost amounting to prescience, he, in speaking
of magnetism, said: "When we remember that the earth itself is a magnet,
pervaded in every part by this mighty power, universal and strong as
gravity itself, we cannot doubt that it is exerting an appointed and
essential influence over every particle of matter, and in every place
where it is present.
"What its great purpose is, seems to be looming up in the distance
before us:--the clouds which obscure our mental sight are daily
thinning, and I cannot doubt that a glorious discovery in natural
knowledge and in the wisdom and power of God in the creation is awaiting
our age."
Thus did those great philosophers so nearly attain to the goal of their
highest earthly aspirations, and only failed in the consummation by
reason of clinging to the existing opinions of their age.
APPENDIX.
1. (Page 22.) "BRUNO, about the close of the last century, _guessed_ the
fundamental fact of the Nebular Hypothesis, and _Kant reasoned out_ its
foundation idea, and LAPLACE _developed it_."--CORRELATION AND
CONSERVATION OF FORCES.
We have learned to recognize on how very doubtful a basis many of the
received axioms of physical science are founded. This hypothesis has
been received with much unanimity and has firmly held its sway. Yet,
"BRUNO _guessed_ the fundamental fact," and this _figment of the
imagination_ has, for nearly a century, controlled the scientific mind.
Its paralyzing influences have affected other departments of physical
science, and true progress has been obstructed. The attempt to describe
minutely how the spheres were formed millions of years ago is but
presumption.
This hypothesis, from such an origin, unverified and unverifiable, is
too weak to support the superstructure which has been erected upon it.
This hypothesis discarded, it may be presumed that the earth was never
in a fluid or _wholly incandescent state_.
"It may be shown that all nebulæ are crowded stellar masses."--HUMBOLDT.
_Action and Retro-action._
2. (Page 25.) "Considering the continued activity of the sun through
countless centuries, we may assume, with mathematical certainty, the
existence of some compensating influence to make good its enormous
loss."--COR. AND CON. OF FORCES.
If the earth receives the benefits of this activity, surely the
"compensating influence" must, in a like degree, go forth from the earth
to the sun. And, furthermore, if this influence (whatever its character)
may pass in the _one_ direction through space without known or visible
means of communication, _retro-action_ may be affected through the same
channel.
_The Earth and all Spheres framed alike._
3. (Page 26.) "The earth belongs to a system of planets analogous to
itself, having the same origin, the same destiny, situated around the
same centre and governed by the same motive power."--FLAMMARIAN.
_Mutual Relations of Earth and Sun._
4. (Page 27.) "A mysterious chain links together the celestial and
terrestrial forces. According to the ancient signification of the
Titanic myth, the powers of organic life, that is to say, the great
order of nature, depend upon the combined action of heaven and
earth."--HUMBOLDT.
_The Sun's Body Dark._
5. (Page 30.) "HERSCHEL'S fixed idea was that the darkness of a spot was
an indication of a cool habitable globe."
_A New Theory of the Nature of Water._
6. (Page 36.) M. MAICHE, in _Les Mondes_, propounds the theory, reached
after numerous experiments, that water is simply hydrogen _plus_
electricity, or oxygen _minus_ electricity, or, in other words, that
normal electrified hydrogen constitutes water, and that normal
diselectrified oxygen produces the same; or that hydrogen, oxygen, and
water are precisely the same, differing only in degree of
electrification.
_Sun-heat._
7. (Page 41.) "The sun, as the main source of heat and light, must be
able to call forth and animate magnetic forces on our planet."--HUMBOLDT.
"It is an incontestable fact that the sun exercises an action upon the
magnetic phenomena which are manifested upon our globe."--SECCHI.
"What is certain is, that there ought to be, between the sun and
planets, a means of communication of force, and the transmission of
movement."--_Ibid._
"The central body may, as a powerful source of heat, excite magnetic
activity on our planet."--HUMBOLDT.
8. (Page 42.) "It cannot be doubted that electro-magnetic currents exist
in the interior of the globe."--AMPÈRE.
"The internal heat of our planet is connected with the generation of
electro-magnetic currents."--HUMBOLDT.
"A large proportion of winter heat of the poles comes through the
equatorial current."--YOUMANS.
_Auroræ._
9. (Page 44.) "HOOD heard a noise as of quickly moved musket-balls, and
a slight crackling sound during an aurora. He also noticed the same
noise on the following day."
"FATHER PERRY of the Stonyhurst Observatory remarked that the green
spectroscopic line characteristic of the aurora, could be detected even
where the unassisted eye failed to notice any trace of light."
"The fleecy clouds seen in Iceland by THIENEMANN, and which he
considered to be the northern light, have been seen in recent times by
FRANKLIN and RICHARDSON, near the American north pole, and by ADMIRAL
WRANGEL on the Siberian coast. All remarked that the aurora flashed
forth in the most vivid beams when masses of cirrus strata were hovering
in the upper regions of the air, and when these were so thin that their
presence could only be recognized by the formation of a halo around the
moon."
"These clouds sometimes range themselves _even by day_ in a similar
manner to the beams of the aurora and then disturb the course of the
magnetic needle in the same manner as the latter. On the morning after
every distinct nocturnal aurora the same superimposed strata of clouds
have still been observed, that had previously been luminous."
PARRY even "saw the great arch of the northern light _continue
throughout the day_."
"ARAGO was of the opinion that each observer saw his own aurora somewhat
as each observer of a rainbow sees the luminous arc differently placed."
_The Great Sun Battery._
10. (Page 44.) If with a percussion cap and a tear we may develop
sufficient power to deflect a magnetic needle 3,000 miles distant, what
power may not be expected of the sun, 1,250,000 times larger than the
earth; the sun exercising a force of the same character?
_Gravity._
11. (Page 50.) "PROF. MOSSOTTI has recently shown, by a very able
analysis, that there are strong grounds for believing that not only the
molecular forces which unite the particles of material bodies depend on
the electric fluid, but that even gravitation itself, which binds world
to world, and sun to sun, can no longer be regarded as an ultimate
principle, but the residual portion of a far more powerful force,
generated by that energetic agent which pervades creation."--FARADAY.
"If gravitation is made to mean something allied to magnetism, some
poorly explained phenomena become easily understood. But what are the
circumstances affording proof of the identity of these forces? First,
gravitation acts upon all kinds of matter; FARADAY proved the same of
magnetism. Second, gravitation is attractive; so is magnetism. Third,
gravitation is proportionate to the mass; the force of magnets also
depends upon the mass. Fourth, gravitation acts in an inverse ratio to
the square of the distance; so does magnetism. Fifth, gravitation does
not manifest polarity; magnetism is known not to do so. Sixth,
gravitation acts independently of bodies affording a resistance to light
and heat; so does magnetism."--CARTWELL.
FARADAY'S biographer says:--"He is oppressed with the magnitude and
importance of his subject, yet is stimulated by the fact that the
discovery which he aims for (the relationship between gravity and
electricity) would have a bearing in importance far beyond all
conception in elucidating not only the facts connected with these
subjects, but also others of a high importance. There being scarcely a
limit to the subjects which would be illuminated by it."
"Gravity, surely this force must be capable of an experimental relation
to electricity and magnetism and the other forces, so as to bind it up
with them in reciprocal action and equivalent effect."--FARADAY.
KEPLER regarded gravity and heat "as being probably derived from one
single principle."
"There is every reason for believing that the radiations which
constitute heat and light are essentially the same."
"Gravity acts instantaneously."
_Static Electricity._
12. (Page 52.) Speaking of static electricity, FARADAY remarks: "What an
idea of the ever-present and ever-ready state of this power is given to
us, when we consider that not only every substance, but almost every
mode of dealing with substance manifests its presence. It is not
accidental at these times, but active and essentially so, and we may, in
our endeavors to comprehend it, usefully compare and contrast it with
gravity which never changes. There we see that power which in
undisturbed and solemn grandeur holds equally the world and the dust of
which worlds are formed together, and carries them on in their course
through illimitable space through illimitable ages; and in this other
power, even in this our first glimpse we see probably the contrasted
force which is destined to give all that vivacity and mutual activity to
particles that shall fit them as far as matter alone is concerned, for
their wonderful office in the phenomena of nature, and enable them to
bring forth the ever varying and astonishing changes which earth, air,
fire and water present to us; from the motion of the dust in the
whirlwind up to the highest conditions of life."
13. (Page 61.) An illustration of this form of wind-production may be
found in the following facts related by DR. GISLER, who for a long time
dwelt in the north of Sweden: "The matter of the aurora borealis
sometimes descends so low that it touches the ground. At the summit of
high mountains it produces upon the face of the traveller an effect
analogous to that of wind."
We should pronounce this effect to be the production of a true wind of a
circumscribed or local character.
_Solar Spectrum, its origin._
14. (Page 80.) PROF. KIRCHHOFF was led to the study of a coincidence
between the bright yellow line given in an incandescent sodium vapor,
and the solar line "D," which coincidence had already been noticed by
FRAUENHOFER. Upon applying a greater dispersive power he noticed that
the line "D" was a double one; but so also was the sodium line under
these conditions. Moreover, each line of the one coincided with each
line of the other. The _suspicion_ became strong that it was the sodium
in the _sun_ which caused the "D" line. He then extended the comparisons
to other elements. He carefully measured sixty bright lines in the
spectrum of iron; and found every one of these sixty lines to
correspond with a dark in the solar spectrum.
"The overwhelming _probability_ of a common cause for both was forced
upon him, and _by calculation_ he ascertained that this probability was
as one million million million to one, in its favor."--LOCKYER.
ADDENDUM.
The great Solar Cone-space, in order to be clearly marked to the eye,
was represented in Plate I, page 30, as white. This to some readers may
be misleading; as this space when viewed transversely is not
luminous,--it is not even visible. (Pl. V.)
[Illustration: Pl. V. Solar Cone, Or Cone-Space.]
Outside of the atmospheric envelope of all spheres, there is only "_the
black of infinite space_."[E]
Retro-action between the earth and visible and invisible spheres, gives
to the earth the light which it possesses during the night-season.
FOOTNOTES:
[E] Flammarian.
Transcriber's Notes
The following typographical corrections have been made:
Page x: Heat without combustion--Inter-currents{original had
no hyphen; changed to match page 45, to which it refers}
Page 60: back and forth to maintain an{comma removed}
equilibrium.
Page 64: {quotation mark removed}The course of a balloonist
Page 102: {quotation mark added}"These clouds sometimes
range themselves
Page 107: {quotation mark added}"The overwhelming
_probability_ of a common cause
The following inconsistent hyphenation is as printed:
Page 42: just such a retro-acting inter-communication.
Page 72: might interfere with the intercommunication of light