: "It is
incumbent on us to recognize an aetherial substratum of matter, in so
far as this proves conducive to simplicity and logical consistency in
our scheme of physical relations, and helpful towards the discovery of
hitherto unnoticed ones."

Dr. Larmor, as has already been pointed out in Art. 44, speaks of his
aetherial atoms as electrons, which are of two kinds, negative and
positive, and of these he states (page 97): "Each electron has an
effective mass of aetherial origin, which forms part, and may be the
whole of the mass of the matter to which it is attached."

Here, then, we have definite statements as to the hypothesis of all
matter having a definite aetherial origin. If, therefore, it can be
proved experimentally that matter does possess this aetherial basis,
then the hypothesis will pass out of the region of speculation into the
region of fact and science.

The question, therefore, suggests itself to our mind, as to whether
among all the experiments that have ever been performed by any
scientist, there are any which will conclusively confirm and establish
the hypothesis as to the aetherial origin of all matter. In my opinion
there are such experiments, which have been given to the world by such
eminent scientists as Faraday and Sir Humphry Davy. Before, however, the
value of their experiments can be rightly understood and valued, we
shall have to ask ourselves another question, and that is, "What is the
relation of Aether to electricity?" Upon the correct answer to this
question depends the application of Faraday's experiments to the
hypothesis of the aetherial constitution of all matter, and therefore of
the great underlying principle of the unity of the Universe.

Is there any relation therefore between Aether and electricity? If so,
what is that relation, and to what extent does it hold good? Professor
Lodge, in his preface to _Modern Views of Electricity_, asks a similar
question. "Electricity," he states, "has been thought to be a form of
energy, it has been shown to be a form of Aether. There remains the
question, What is Aether?"

While again he writes: "A rough and crude statement adopted for popular
use is that electricity and Aether are identical. But that is not all
that has to be said, for there are two opposite kinds of electricities,
and there are not two Aethers. But there may be two aspects of one
Aether, just as there are two sides to a sheet of paper."

That there is a definite rel