The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-27

some philosophers, but DIR. Slavonski asks
pertinently whether or not there is the small
est existent portion of matter. To say there
is not, is to say there is portion of matter
smaller than itself, which is an evident alb
surdity. The universe being composed of
definite number of atoms, these are cease
lessly undergoing change of place, constantly
combining in new forms, and with variable
results. But, the question arises, into
how many possible forms may these atoms be
arranged, and, when every variation of form
is expressed must not former combinations
recur? The letters and b, for instance, can
only be formed into d6 and bd; the letters a,
b, G, give six variations, or permutations,
which are abe, Gcb, bac bcd, cab, Goa. Two
things may be arranged by pairs in four
ways, as and can be placed dd, G6, 6G,
and bb. These letters may be varied by pairs
nine ways, and, as evidence ''of the number
of combinations of few things taken by
twos, by threes. by fours, and so on, it is
only necessary to state that in this way the
letters of the alphabet would give 1891, 724,-
2SS, ,S87, ,252, 1895, ,425, 12S 493 402 200 changes,
and not one more. This result is definitely
fixed by the law of their arrangement" And,
Just as there is a law of limitation in the COM
bination of three, six, or twenty-six letters,
so there must also be law of limitation in
the combination of any number of items or
atoms. There must come time, then, ac-
cording to this rule, when all possible place
changes of the atoms composing the universe
will have been exhausted, and nature must
return to forms or combinations that have
previously existed. This theory, the reader
will understand, asserts that the time must
come "when the earth will be in the same
condition it is at this moment, and that it has
already been a vast number of times. The
geological eras which have made it what it is
will again work out their necessary results,
and man will appear again, each individual
being precisely the same individual he is now
born of the same parents, be reared under
the same circumstances, and live the same
life." This surprising theory assumes, it will
be noted, that each person is no more than a
''fortuitous congregation of atoms, and en-
tirely eliminates all conception of soul or spirit
The vastinterregnum between each of our eras
of existence is described as in no way affect
ing us, because we should be unconscious of
the duration of time. Of what that duration
may be, we can form some sort of breathless
guess when we recall what we have already
told of the number of combinations the
English alphabet is capable of. If any one
would like to estimate how many years must
elapse before the world returns to its old
courses, and things that have been shall once
more be, let him assume the largest possible
number his imagination can grasp as a posi-
BILE enumeration of the number of atoms
in the universe, and then let him apoly
the rule of permutations, which is as fol-
lows:-To find, say, the permutations of two
letters, multiply one by two; of three letters,
multiply one by two, and the result by three;
of four letters, multiply one by two, the re-
suit by three, and the last result by four
Seven letters will give five thousand and forty
possible changes-and with this start we hope
some of our industrious readers will ascertain
the time when our earthly turn ought to
come around again. But how strange and
startling is this propositionl If it assumes
that, at each recurring era, we should be un-
conscious of preceding ones, then this sort
of Immortality is nothing to u.s. Immortality,
if it concerns us at all, must mean the per-
| petuation of our Northumberland if
it does mean this, then DR.. Slavonski's s
theory is worse than any purgatory ever
dreamed of. Think of men and women being
| compelled in ever-recurring eras to endure
over and over again all their trials, struggles
disappointments, and sorrows, all their pains
and ills, all their delusions and sharp disci-
| plines. Think of calamity, and war, and
! famine, of crime and disease, of prosecutions
and cruelties, of sloth and debauchery, of
oppression and wrong, being also immortal,
| forever and forever returning to renew their
terrible history! Why, this conception OF
Immortality renders life absolutely appalling,
and may well make us hope that DR.. Slavon-
skis Mathematical Proof, will be found to
have omitted some important factor, by
which the dire result predicted may never
come about. t.-Applet0n'S Journal