Samuel Tolver Preston

“ It would surely be scarcely reasonable to expect that the theory should be capable of giving full satisfaction in all cases. It would be even strange if some difficulties did not present themselves at the outset. We can only say that by explaining some important or fundamental facts (such as gravitation, some effects of cohesion, &c.) , the hope may be reasonably entertained that an addition to knowledge will throw light upon others — so long as we hold to strict mechanical conceptions, and do not close the door to discovery by postulating the mystery of " action at a distance." ”

“ In conclusion, it cannot fail, I think, to be apparent (as an important fact) to an impartial observer, that a movement in accordance with the kinetic theory is the only possible (or conceivable) motion that can naturally maintain itself among particles of matter left to themselves in free space (if we refrain from attributing to matter occult and mystical qualities, which only involve every thing in obscurity) . ”

“ Hence our conception of the gravity-gas must practically be that of an indefinite number of indefinitely small particles moving in all directions with indefinitely high velocities — a conception from which it hardly seems safe to draw any definite conclusion whatever. ”