If we abide by the ordinary consequences of the Newtonian theory of
potential, the drops should remain motionless, the hydrostatic
impulsion forming an exact equilibrium to their mutual attraction. Now
M. Cremieux remarks that, as a matter of fact, they slowly approach
each other.
Such experiments are very delicate; and with all the precautions taken
by the author, it cannot yet be asserted that he has removed all
possibility of the action of the phenomena of capillarity nor all
possible errors proceeding from extremely slight differences of
temperature. But the attempt is interesting and deserves to be
followed up.
Thus, the hypothesis of the ether does not yet explain all the
phenomena which the considerations relating to matter are of
themselves powerless to interpret. If we wished to represent to
ourselves, by the mechanical properties of a medium filling the whole
of the universe, all luminous, electric, and gravitation phenomena, we
should be led to attribute to this medium very strange and almost
contradictory characteristics; and yet it would be still more
inconceivable that this medium should be double or treble, that there
should be two or three ethers each occupying space as if it were
alone, and interpenetrating it without exercising any action on one
another.
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