Chapter II: Preface

The reception given to my former work, on ‘Modern Science and Modern Thought,’ has induced me to write this further one. I refer not so much to the reviews of professional critics, though as a rule nothing could be more courteous and candid, but rather to the letters I have received from readers of various age, sex, and condition, saying that I had assisted them in understanding much interesting matter which had previously been a sealed book to them.

If I am good for anything, it is for a certain faculty of lucid condensation, and I have thought that I might apply this to some of the less-known branches of modern science, such as the new chemistry and physiology, as well as, in my first work, to the more familiar subjects of astronomy and geology; while at the same time I might extend it to some of the more obvious problems of religion, morals, metaphysics, and practical life, which force themselves, more and more every day, on the attention of intelligent thinkers.

As in the former work the scientific speculations were linked together by the leading idea of the universality of law, so, in this, unity is given to them by the all-pervading principle of polarity, which manifests itself everywhere as the fundamental condition of the material and spiritual universe.

For the scientific portion of the work I am indebted to the most approved authorities, such as Darwin, Huxley, Haeckel, and Professor Cooke’s volume on the New Chemistry in the International Scientific Series. For the religious and philosophical speculations I am myself responsible; for, although I have derived the greatest possible pleasure and profit from Herbert Spencer’s writings, I had arrived at my principal conclusions independently before I had read any of his works. I can only hope that I may have succeeded in presenting a good many abstruse questions in a popular form, intelligible to the average mind of ordinary readers, and calculated, if it teaches nothing else, to teach them a practical philosophy which inculcates tolerance and charity, and assists them in finding

Sermons in stones and good in everything.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

Experiment with magnet—Principle of polarity—Applies
universally—Analogies in spiritual world—Zoroastrian
religion—Changes in modern environment—Require corresponding
changes in religions and philosophies 1

CHAPTER II.

POLARITY IN MATTER—MOLECULES AND ATOMS.

Matter consists of molecules—Nature of molecules—Laws of
their action in gases—Law of Avogadro—Molecules composed
of atoms—Proved by composition of water—Combinations of
atoms—Elementary substances—Qualities of matter depend on
atoms—Dimensions and velocities of molecules and atoms—These
are ascertained _facts_, not theories 9

CHAPTER III.

ETHER.

Ether proved by light—Light-waves—Elasticity of ether—Its
universal diffusion—Influences molecules and atoms—Is
influenced by them—Successive orders of the infinitely
small—Illustrated by the differential and integral
calculus—Explanation of this calculus—Theory of vortex rings 21

CHAPTER IV.

ENERGY.

Energy of motion and of position—Energy can be
transformed, not created or destroyed—Not created by
free-will—Conservation of mechanical power—Convertibility
of heat and work—Nature of heat—The steam-engine—Different
forms of energy—Gravity—Molecular energy—Chemical
energy—Dynamite—Chemical affinities—Electricity—Produced
by friction—By the voltaic battery—Electric currents—Arc
light—Induction—Magnetism—The magnetic needle—The electric
telegraph—The telephone—Dynamo-electric engine—Accumulator 36

CHAPTER V.

POLARITY IN MATTER.

Ultimate elements of universe—Built up by polarity—Experiment
with magnet—Chemical affinity—Atomic poles—Alkalies
and acids—Quantivalence—Atomicity—Isomerism—Chemical
stability—Thermochemistry—Definition of atoms—All matter built
up by polar forces 65

CHAPTER VI.

POLARITY IN LIFE.

Contrast of living and dead—Eating and
being eaten—Trace matter upwards and life
downwards—Colloids—Cells—Protoplasm—Monera—Composition
of protoplasm—Essential qualities of life—Nutrition and
sensation—Motion—Reproduction—Spontaneous generation—Organic
compounds—Polar conditions of life 76

CHAPTER VII.

PRIMITIVE POLARITIES—PLANT AND ANIMAL.

Contrast in developed life—Plants producers, animals
consumers—Differences disappear in simple forms—Zoophytes—
Protista—Nummulites—Corals—Fungi—Lichens—Insectivorous
plants—Geological succession—Primary period, Algæ and
Ferns—Secondary period, Gymnosperms—Tertiary and recent,
Angiosperms—Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons—Parallel evolution
of animal life—Primary, protista, mollusca, and fish—Secondary,
reptiles—Tertiary and recent, mammals 92

CHAPTER VIII.

PRIMITIVE POLARITIES—POLARITY OF SEX.

Sexual generation—Base of ancient cosmogonies—Propagation
non-sexual in simpler forms—Amœba and cells—Germs and
buds—Anemones—Worms—Spores—Origin of sex—Ovary and male
organ—Hermaphrodites—Parthenogenesis—Bees and insects—Man and
woman—Characters of each sex—Woman’s position—Improved by
civilisation—Christianity the feminine pole—Monogamy the law
of nature—Tone respecting women test of character—Women in
literature—In society—Attraction and repulsion of sexes—Like
attracts unlike—Ideal marriage—Woman’s rights and modern
legislation 102

CHAPTER IX.

PRIMITIVE POLARITIES—HEREDITY AND VARIATION.

Heredity in simple forms of life—In more complex
organisms—Pangenesis—Varieties how produced—Fixed by law of
survival of the fittest—Dr. Temple’s view—Examples: triton,
axolotl—Variations in individuals and species—Lizards into
birds—Ringed snakes—Echidna 117

CHAPTER X.

THE KNOWABLE AND UNKNOWABLE—BRAIN AND THOUGHT.

Basis of knowledge—Perception—Constitution of
brain—White and grey matter—Average size and weight
of brains—European, negro, and ape—Mechanism of
perception—Sensory and motor nerves—Separate areas of
brain—Sensory and motor centres—Abnormal states of
brain—Hypnotism—Somnambulism—Trance—Thought-reading—
Spiritualism—Reflex action—Ideas how formed—Number
and space—Creation unknowable—Conceptions based on
perceptions—Metaphysics—Descartes, Kant,
Berkeley—Anthropomorphism—Laws of nature 125

CHAPTER XI.

RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES.

Religions, ‘working hypotheses’—Newman’s illative sense—Origins
of religions—Ghosts and spirits—Fetishes—Nature-worship—Solar
myths—Planets—Evolution of nature-worship—Polytheism,
pantheism, and theism—Evolution of monotheism in the
Old Testament—Evolution of morality—Natural law and
miracle—Evidence for miracles—Insufficiency of evidence—Absence
of intelligent design—Agnosticism—Origin of evil—Can only
be explained by polarity—Optimism and pessimism—Jesus, the
Christian Ormuzd—Christianity without miracles 146

CHAPTER XII.

CHRISTIANITY AND MORALS.

Christianity based on morals—Origin of morality—Traced
in Judaism—Originates in evolution—Instance of
murder—Freedom of will—Will suspended in certain states of
brain—Hypnotism—Mechanical theory—Pre-established harmony—Human
and animal conscience—Analysis of will—Explained by
polarity—Practical conclusion 184

CHAPTER XIII.

ZOROASTRIANISM.

Zoroaster an historical person—The Parsees—Iranian branch
of Aryan family—Zoroaster a religious reformer—Scene at
Balkh—Conversion of Gushtasp—Doctrines of the ‘excellent
religion’—Monotheism—Polarity—Dr. Haug’s description—Ormuzd
and Ahriman—Anquetil du Perron—Approximation
to modern thought—Absence of miracles—Code of
morals—Its comprehensiveness—And liberality—Special
rites—Fire-worship—Disposal of dead—Practical results—The
Parsees of Bombay—Their probity, enterprise, respect
for women—Zeal for education—Philanthropy and public
spirit—Statistics—Death and birth rates 197

CHAPTER XIV.

FORMS OF WORSHIP.

Byron’s lines—Carnegie’s description—Parsee
nature-worship—English Sunday—The sermon—Appeals to reason
misplaced—Music better than words—The Mass—Zoroastrianism
brings religion into daily life—Sanitation—Zoroastrian
prayer—Religion of the future—Sermons in stones and good in
everything 219

CHAPTER XV.

PRACTICAL POLARITIES.

Fable of the shield—Progress and conservatism—English and
French colonisation—Law-abidingness—Irish land question—True
conservative legislation—Ultra-conservatism—Law and
education—Patriotism—Jingoism and parochialism—True
statesmanship—Free trade and protection—Capital
and labour—Egoism and altruism—Socialism and
_laissez faire_—Contracts—Rights and duties of
landlords—George’s theory—State interference—Railways—Post
Office—Telegraphs—National defence—Concluding remarks 227

A MODERN ZOROASTRIAN.