William Bower Taylor

“ I designate as atoms the last stage of division of matter. I admit that two bodies separated by an absolute void cannot act on each other ; that action takes place only by contact, the play of forces following the laws of ordinary mechanics. If there existed but a single kind of atoms, the interchange of forces occurring between equal masses, two atoms could not unite. Force and matter would exist, but not attraction. There are then at least two kinds of primordial atoms of different masses. ”

“ If there exist ponderable atoms of different masses their rate of fall would be unequal. If there were but one kind of ponderable atom, all bodies would fall with equal velocity. Experience seems to justify the last hypothesis, but very slight differences of mass in the ponderable atoms would suffice to determine the formation of chemical elements of very different atomic weights, and an inequality of their fall would escape unadvised observers. ”

“ In consequence of the inertia of the aether, attraction is not proportional to the real masses, but no more is it to the number of ponderable atoms contained in a body. The vis viva of the atoms of aether, however great, has a finite value. ”