fact that Huyghens' undulatory theory of light stands to-day as an
accepted theory, is conclusive evidence that he was a philosopher of the
highest order, and his adhesion to the theory of vortices proves that he
was convinced that there was some truth in it.

It is a result greatly to be desired, therefore, if it can be
demonstrated, that in the Aether there is this rotatory motion
continually going on around every planet, satellite, sun or star;
because it will then join together, in perfect harmony, two great
theories in relation to celestial phenomena, that contended with each
other for supremacy for very many years.

It will prove that, after all, men like Kepler, Descartes, Huyghens, and
Bernoulli had caught glimpses of the great truth which was partly
revealed by celestial phenomena, and that it was only for lack of data
that they were unable to successfully compete with Newton's mathematical
genius, by which he was able to bring his Law of Gravitation safely
through the conflict with the simpler conception of aetherial vortex
motion. Of course certain objections will have to be met and answered
before this aspect of aetherial dynamics can be expected to supplant the
more cumbrous and somewhat intricate mathematical laws of motion, but I
shall prove later on, that all these objections can be answered from a
satisfactory standpoint.

So that if a modified form of aetherial vortex motion can be
successfully demonstrated to exist in the electro-magnetic Aether, then
we shall see the conflict that waged about two hundred years ago,
brought to a satisfactory issue, in the union of the two greatest
philosophic theories for the explanation of celestial phenomena that the
world has ever seen.

From that union, therefore, there will then emerge a truer, simpler, and
yet grander conception of the motions of the universe, which, when
perfected by abler minds, will be as perfect a theory as human
intelligence and philosophy can make it. So that, what an atomic and
gravitative Aether has done for Newton's corpuscular theory of light, in
showing that it can be united and combined with the undulatory theory,
and by such combination, for the first time, such phenomena as the
transverse action of light can be probably demonstrated and explained,
together with other phenomena relating to reflection and refraction of
light, the enlarged conception of a rotating electro-magnetic Aether will
do for the two great theories that vi