Book contents
- Frontmatter
- NOTICE
- Contents
- INTRODUCTION
- BOOK I TERRESTRIAL ADAPTATIONS
- CHAP. I The Length of the Year
- CHAP. II The Length of the Day
- CHAP. III The Mass of the Earth
- CHAP. IV The Magnitude of the Ocean
- CHAP. V The Magnitude of the Atmosphere
- CHAP. VI The Constancy and Variety of Climates
- CHAP. VII The Variety of Organization corresponding to the Variety of climate
- CHAP. VIII The Constituents of Climate
- CHAP. IX The Laws of Heat with respect to Water
- CHAP. X The Laws of Heat with respect to Air
- CHAP. XI The Laws of Electricity
- CHAP. XII The Laws of Magnetism
- CHAP. XIII The Properties of Light with regard to Vegetation
- CHAP. XIV Sound
- CHAP. XV The Atmosphere
- CHAP. XVI Light
- CHAP. XVII The Ether
- CHAP. XVIII Recapitulation
- BOOK II COSMICAL ARRANGEMENTS
- BOOK III RELIGIOUS VIEWS
CHAP. XVII - The Ether
from BOOK I - TERRESTRIAL ADAPTATIONS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2011
- Frontmatter
- NOTICE
- Contents
- INTRODUCTION
- BOOK I TERRESTRIAL ADAPTATIONS
- CHAP. I The Length of the Year
- CHAP. II The Length of the Day
- CHAP. III The Mass of the Earth
- CHAP. IV The Magnitude of the Ocean
- CHAP. V The Magnitude of the Atmosphere
- CHAP. VI The Constancy and Variety of Climates
- CHAP. VII The Variety of Organization corresponding to the Variety of climate
- CHAP. VIII The Constituents of Climate
- CHAP. IX The Laws of Heat with respect to Water
- CHAP. X The Laws of Heat with respect to Air
- CHAP. XI The Laws of Electricity
- CHAP. XII The Laws of Magnetism
- CHAP. XIII The Properties of Light with regard to Vegetation
- CHAP. XIV Sound
- CHAP. XV The Atmosphere
- CHAP. XVI Light
- CHAP. XVII The Ether
- CHAP. XVIII Recapitulation
- BOOK II COSMICAL ARRANGEMENTS
- BOOK III RELIGIOUS VIEWS
Summary
In what has just been said, we have spoken of light, only with respect to its power of illuminating objects, and conveying the impression of them to the eye. It possesses, however, beyond all doubt, many other qualities. Light is intimately connected with heat, as we see in the case of the sun and of flame; yet it is clear that light and heat are not identical. Light is evidently connected too with electricity and galvanism; and perhaps, through these, with magnetism: it is, as has already been mentioned, indispensably necessary to the healthy discharge of the functions of vegetable life; without it plants cannot duly exercise their vital powers: it manifests also chemical action in various ways.
The luminiferous ether then, if we so call the medium in which light is propagated, must possess many other properties besides those mechanical ones on which the illuminating power depends. It must not be merely like a fluid poured into the vacant spaces and interstices of the material world, and exercising no action on objects; it must affect the physical, chemical and vital powers of what it touches. It must be a great and active agent in the work of the universe, as well as an active reporter of what is done by other agents. It must possess a number of complex and refined contrivances and adjustments which we cannot analyze, bearing upon plants and chemical compounds, and the imponderable agents; as well as those laws which we conceive that we have analyzed, by which it is the vehicle of illumination and vision.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009First published in: 1833