New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Z.
ence beyond the limits Of the scientific public, If
does not abandon the rigid methods of physical re-
search for the sake OF adaptation to the fancicd de
mands of the popular mind. II treats of several of
the prominent subjects of modern science, throwing
flood of light the various questions which they
suggest and presenting exposition of the diff
entities that arise from their discussion in language
nc less remarkable for Us precision and force than
for It's clearance and grace.
The first essay or "TGc Constitution Of Nature
gives mastery analysis of the principles which
accepted by leading school OF physicists, as the
essential conditions Of inquiry into the laws of the
material universe. The infnity of space, according
Co Professor Tyndall is necessary conception of
the human mind. But whether the UnbOunded ex-
panSc is filled or empty. must bo decided by expert
meut and observation. The starry heavens declare
that il is not entirely void. But modern iuvestga-
tiou has arrived at the conclusion that the celestial
spaces between the stars are also occupied 10y mat
Ter. The proofs are as clear of the existence Of
celestial and universal atmosphere OF local
atmosphere around the earth The notion of
this medium is not a vague fancy on the
part of scientific men. The lumnferous ether has
definite mechanical properties 1t is far more stten-
uatcd than any kaovn gas but its qualities
those of a solid rather than of gas. 1t resembles
jelly rather than air. Although tbs ether may not
be coexensve with space il is believed that it eX-
tends rs far as the RIOS. distant visible stars. In
fact. IL Is the vehicle of their light, taking up
their molecular tremors and conveying them with
ncOnccVablc rapidty TO oar organs of vision. 1t is
thetransported shver of bodies countless millions of
miles distant which translates itself in human con-
scoCsEe,s into the sI!cllor OF inc armament at
night
If the ether has q boundary. masses Of matter
might be conceived to exist beyond it, but they
could emit no light. nor heat. Dark suns might burn
beyond the ether combustion might be carried on
fuel might consume unseen and metals be heated
60 fusion in invisible fires. \ body, moreover
heated there, would continue forever heated. sun
a planet. once molten would continue forever
molten. For the less of heat being simply the
abstraction of molecular motion by the ether no cool
ing could occur in the absence of this medium As
far as our knowledge Of space extends, it is the
holder Of the lumnerous ether, through which are
interTersod, at enormous distances, the ponderOus
nuclei OF the stars.
With tins view Of the present condition of space
and Of the bodies which It contains the question
arises whether things were SO created at the begin
ming. Was space furnished at once. by the fiat of
Omnpotence. with these burning orbss The man of
science gives no positive answer 10 this question;
although he cau clearly show that the present state
of things may BE dcriyative; and can prove that the
pomp Of stars might have been evolved out Of com
mon nOn-lumnous matter
Il is simple course Of reasoning that leads TO
this conclusion Under the force of gravitation a
stone falls TO the ground and is warmed by the
shock. Under the same force. meteors plunge into
our atmosphere and set on fire. Showers Of such
meteors il is believed. fall necessarily upon the sun
Were the earth stopped in its orbit tomorrow, 1t
would rush forward, and finally combine with the |
SIM, Heat woul Doe developed by the collision, to |
An amount as has been computed equal TO that pro-
duced by the combustion Of more than five
thousand worlds Of solid coal Tie attraction Of !
gravitaton, accordingly, acting upon non-luu inous
matter is source ri hogtmofe powerful than could
be derived from any terrestrial combustion. Hence,
II the matter of the universe were cast in cold de-
tached fragments Into space, and there abandoned
20 the mutual gglvi.ation of its parts the col
hson Of the fragments would in the end produce the
fires of tine stars. Thus the action Of gravity upon
matter originally cold may be the origin of ell light
and heat the WoZimate source Of such otherpOw-
ers as are generated by light and heat.
If we now inquire what is the light and what is
the heat thus produced, the answer is ready that
both light and heat are modes Of motion. When two
planets clash and come to rest their notion consid
cred az masscr destroyed. but it is really coDtin
ued as a motion Of their ultimate particles. 1t is
this motion taken up and transmitted by the ether
that comes TO as the light and heat of suns and
stars. When two bodies drawn together by the
force OF gravity SiAe edCn ptnel' lne intensity Cl
the ultimate vibration or in otherwords the amount
of heat generated. is proportional to the power de-
stroyed by The collision. The molecular motion once
SCI up is Instantly shared with tie ether aud dilus,d
by it throughout space
The principle of grayation j. the attraction which
every particle of matter however small, has for
every other particle. With gravity, there is no Sc
lection no atoms choose other atoms by preference;
the attraction is proportional to the quantity of
matter regardless of its quality. But in the mole
cllar world the case is different Here We have
Gtoms be- Teeii which strong attraction is exer-
cised and atoms between which q weak attraction
is exercised One atom jostle another out of its
place bv its superior power of attraction. When
body falls 10 the earth, and is warmed by the
shock. we have what may be called a mechanical
combination u lie eartf sNd the body: Now
reduce the falling body and the earth in magma
tioD 70 the size Of atoms and for the attraction of
gravity substitute that of chemical affinity which
is the name given to the molecular attraction, we
have what is called chemical combination The
effect of the union in this also Is the develop
ment of heat and from the amount OF heat gener-
sted we can infer the intensity of the atomic force
A. regards convertibihty into heat gravity and
chemical affinity stand on precisely the same foot
ing. The attraction in the case Is as ndestTuc-
tible as in the other The principle of the conser-
walton of force holds equally good with elastic and
rnelastic bodies Perfectly elastic bodies develop
no heat on collision They retain their motion after
ward though in a different direction and II is only
when sensible motion is destroyed that heat Is gen
Grated.
Wherever two atoms capable Of uniting together by
their mutual attractions exist sepaiate! they form
store OF potential energy Thus our woods forests ana