THE CONSTITUTION OF NATURE} E cannot think of space as finite, for wherever in imagination we erect a boundary, we are compelled to think of space as existing beyond it. Thus by the incessant dissolution of limits we arrive at a more or less adequate idea of the infinity of space. But, though compelled to think of space as unbounded, there is no mental necessity compelling us to think of it either as filled or empty; whether it is so or not must be decided by experiment and observation. That it is not entirely void, the starry heavens declare; but the question still remains, Are the stars themselves hung in vacuo ? Are the vast regions which surround them, and across which their light is propagated, absolutely empty ? A century ago the answer to this question, founded on the Newtonian theory, would have been, 4 No, for particles of light are incessantly shot through space.' The reply of modern science is also negative, but on different grounds. It has the best possible reasons for re
Table of Contents
I THE CONSTITUTION OP NATURE , • 3; II RADIATION • 28; in ON EADIANT HEAT IN RELATION TO TOE COLOUR ; AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF BODIES a 74; IV NEW CHEMICAL REACTIONS PRODUCED BY LIGHT • %; v THE SKY • 131; VI VOYAGE TO ALGERIA TO OBSERVE THE ECLIPSE • 142; VII NIAGARA « 175; VIII THE PARALLEL ROADS OF GLEN ROY • 205; IS ALPINE SCULPTURE 229; X RECENT EXPERIMENTS ON FOG-SIGNALS • 253; XI ON THE STUDY OE PHYSICS , • 281; XII ON CRYSTALLINE AND SLATY CLEAVAGE • 304; XIII ON PARAMAGNETIC AND DIAMAGNETIC FORCES • 321; XIV PHYSICAL BASIS OP SOLAR CHEMISTRY • 329; XV ELEMENTARY MAGNETISM 343; XVI ON FORCE ? 369; XVII CONTRIBUTIONS TO MOLECULAR PHXSIOS » 386; X CONTENTS,; CHAPTER JPAOK; XVIII LIFE AND LETTERS OP FARADAY 309; XIX THE COPLEY MEDALLIST OF 1870 422; XX THE COPLEY MEDALLIST OF 1871 „ 429; XXI DEATH BY LIGHTNING- , 439; XXII SCIENCE AND THE SPIRITS 444; MAP; SHOWING THE PARALLEL ROADS OF GLEN ROY to
Table of Contents
I THE CONSTITUTION OP NATURE , • 3; II RADIATION • 28; in ON EADIANT HEAT IN RELATION TO TOE COLOUR ; AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF BODIES a 74; IV NEW CHEMICAL REACTIONS PRODUCED BY LIGHT • %; v THE SKY • 131; VI VOYAGE TO ALGERIA TO OBSERVE THE ECLIPSE • 142; VII NIAGARA « 175; VIII THE PARALLEL ROADS OF GLEN ROY • 205; IS ALPINE SCULPTURE 229; X RECENT EXPERIMENTS ON FOG-SIGNALS • 253; XI ON THE STUDY OE PHYSICS , • 281; XII ON CRYSTALLINE AND SLATY CLEAVAGE • 304; XIII ON PARAMAGNETIC AND DIAMAGNETIC FORCES • 321; XIV PHYSICAL BASIS OP SOLAR CHEMISTRY • 329; XV ELEMENTARY MAGNETISM 343; XVI ON FORCE ? 369; XVII CONTRIBUTIONS TO MOLECULAR PHXSIOS » 386; X CONTENTS,; CHAPTER JPAOK; XVIII LIFE AND LETTERS OP FARADAY 309; XIX THE COPLEY MEDALLIST OF 1870 422; XX THE COPLEY MEDALLIST OF 1871 „ 429; XXI DEATH BY LIGHTNING- , 439; XXII SCIENCE AND THE SPIRITS 444; MAP; SHOWING THE PARALLEL ROADS OF GLEN ROY to
