Year: 1866

II light were an emanation as held by


Newton, the spaces between the solid bod


les of the universe might be absolutely
empty and, in that case, the revolutions of
the bodies around each other might go on
forever. On the other hand, If light Is a
vibration in subtle fluid, the fluid might


obstruct the motions OF bodies revolving in
| it, and they must finally come together In


one mass. The experiment so ingcniOusly


devised by Arago, and carried out with


such honorable regard for the fame OF its


designer by Messrs. Foucaut, Fizeau and


Bereque, to determine whether there is a
difference in the velocity of light in its
| passage through air and water, has demon
| strated that light is vibration. 1t follows


from this that, as far as light extends, space
| is filled with q material fluid, which reslsts


the motion of bodies revolving in it; and
| bodies within this space must gradually


wind their way inward, aud ultimately


come together into one mass.
| The moon must be drawing very slowly


nearer and nearer the earth, and the two
bodies, in the far distant future, will come
| together. The solid crust of the earth will
| be broken by the shock, an immense guam
| tity of heat will be generated by the de-
struction of the moons motion, aud the
| two bodies will fuse together into one mol


ten globe. As the new and enlarged earth
is cooled upon its surface, second series


of geological deposits will be constituted,


accompanied, perhaps, by strange and In
conceivable forms of animal and vegetable
lite.


At the same time, the earth is winding its
! way inward toward the sun, and must ulti-


mately fall, an inconsiderable pebble, into


the fast glowing mass. The same fate awaits


all the planets, and our solar system must


one day be but single globe. When this


globe is cooled to the right temperature, it


may be covered with multitude OF inhaD-


itants, and astronomers may rise who will


watch its revolutions among the associated


suns of our stellar system. If their knowl-


edge and intellect are equal to the science
of our astronomers, they will foresee the
ultimate coming together of all these suns
into one common globe. And not this only,


for they will predict the final coming to-


gether of the stellar systems of the visible


universe into one mass of matter.


When this mass is first collected. it will
be intensely hot from the destruction ofmo-
tion in the several suns and system OF suns
as they come together. The heat will be ra-


dated outward into the universe, and the
one mass of matter will be gradually cool
ed. During the cooling there will be the
same play and mutual interchange of heat,
light, electricity, magnetlSm, ana other lm-
pOnderable forces that are now upon this
earth. As the cooling proceeds, the action
! of these forces will diminish; when 97
degrees is reached light will cease, and
darkness will fill the universe. AS each vi
bration of heat leaves the material mass. it


will expand outward at the rate OF 10000


miles per second in all directions, in the
! torn of a swilt-swelling hollow globe.


When the temperature of absolute cold is


reached 1892 degrees) the last vibration OF
+ heat will leave the mass of matter, aud will
expand outward through an infinity oi
! space and time.


: SuppOsing, however, the ethereal fluid
, which fills the visible portions of the uni
verse is limited in extent, so that the last


vibration of heat will reach its boundaries


and cease, what then becomes of the force


OF the universe and of the doctrine of tht


conversion of force?