Whatever, then, the hypothesis formed,
whether it be electric force or, on the contrary, magnetic force which
we place in the plane of polarization, the mode of propagation
foreseen will always be in accord with the facts observed.
Sec. 3. THE ELECTROMAGNETIC ETHER
The idea of attributing the phenomena of electricity to perturbations
produced in the medium which transmits the light is already of old
standing; and the physicists who witnessed the triumph of Fresnel's
theories could not fail to conceive that this fluid, which fills the
whole of space and penetrates into all bodies, might also play a
preponderant part in electrical actions. Some even formed too hasty
hypotheses on this point; for the hour had not arrived when it was
possible to place them on a sufficiently sound basis, and the known
facts were not numerous enough to give the necessary precision.
The founders of modern electricity also thought it wiser to adopt,
with regard to this science, the attitude taken by Newton in
connection with gravitation: "In the first place to observe facts, to
vary the circumstances of these as much as possible, to accompany this
first work by precise measurements in order to deduce from them
general laws founded solely on experiment, and to deduce from these
laws, independently of all hypotheses on the nature of the forces
producing the phenomena, the mathematical value of these forces--that
is to say, the formula representing them.
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