William Atkinson - The Essential Works of William Walker Atkinson - 50+ Books in One Edition

Some of the rays of the Ultra-violet region of Light penetrate substances formerly considered solid and impenetrable. And some of them emitted from Radium, etc., would destroy organic life if applied in sufficient quantities. Some of them are practically waves of Electricity so that Light and Electricity are seen to be closely related.

To give one an idea of the differences produced by different rates of vibration, let us imagine a Mass of Iron, shaped like a great "Top," capable of being impelled to "spin" at a constantly increasing rate of speed, by some Mighty Will. At first it is seen as a slowly spinning Top, manifesting nothing but slow motion, to our senses.

Now, imagine our Top spinning at a rate doubling each second. The first second the Top spins at the rate of two revolutions per second. We notice no change, except that we can see the movement. The next second the revolutions are doubled to four per second. Then, doubling each second, we have, respectively, revolutions of eight per second, then sixteen, and then in the fifth second thirty-two per second. Then we begin to notice a change.

When the revolutions reach thirty-two per second the friction of the moving Top on the air causes it to give forth a very low, deep, bass note of sound. This note is like a low, deep "hum," and is the lowest possible of perception by the human hearing, although it is possible that some of the lower forms of life may be conscious of still lower vibrations.

The sixth second the revolutions reach sixty-four, and the low note has grown much higher in the scale. The seventh second records a rate of 128, and the note has correspondingly increased. Then, as the seconds pass, we have, successively, 256, 512, 1,024, 2,048, 4,096, 8,192, 16,384, 32,768, the latter in the fifteenth second, and representing the highest note recognizable by the human ear, although it is believed that some of the lower animals may recognize sounds too acute for our sense of hearing. During this increase in revolutions from the fifth second to the fifteenth, the sound-note has risen rapidly in the scale from the low sullen "hum," on through the notes of the musical scale, and beyond the range of instruments, until the shrillness becomes so intense as to be almost unbearable, and finally terminating in a shrill, piercing shriek like the "squeak" of the bat, only long-drawn out.

Then from the termination of the sound (by reason of the rate of vibration having become too high) silence reigns for thirty seconds—absolute silence, in spite of the rapidly increasing rate of vibrations, in fact, because of it.

When the forty-fifth second is reached, and the revolutions have reached the rate of 35,184,372,088,832 per second, our Top begins to emit heat-rays, increasing each second. Then a little later a dull, dim glow may be noticed. Then, as the seconds fly, the dull glow manifests a deep dark red color, such as one notices in the iron of the blacksmith's shop, soon after it begins to "glow." Then, on and on, as the seconds fly, the deep red grows lighter and brighter, gradually changing into orange, then into yellow, then into green, then into blue, then into indigo, then into violet, and then into the color of "white-heat." Then this "white-heat" changes into a still more dazzling white, and then a white impossible to describe appears, so bright, clear and brilliant that the eye cannot bear the sight. Then, suddenly, the intense brightness is succeeded by absolute darkness, and the moving Top cannot be seen by the eye—and yet it moves on. The highest recorded chemical rays of light are estimated to equal a rate of vibration of 1,875,000,000,000,000 per second. The vibration of the lowest shade of red light is estimated at 450,000,000,000,000, and the highest of violet at 750,000,000,000,000 per second, so we may imagine what the highest line on the spectrum is like.

Still vibrating, our Top, which has become now a Mass of Vaporized Iron, rapidly tending toward still more ethereal forms. It has passed out from the region of light-waves, into another "Unknown Region" of Vibrations, in which region, however, exist the vibrations known to us as the "X-Rays," etc. It is throwing off great quantities of Electrons. If we were to use a fluorescent screen we would be able to observe the phenomena of the Roentgen Rays, and similar manifestations of Radiant Energy.

On and on vibrates the Top of what we once called Iron—cold iron, warm iron, hot iron, melted iron, gaseous iron, etherealized iron, if you like. What it is like now, the imagination of Man cannot conceive. Still the revolutions continue, doubling each second. What is being produced? The imagination cannot conceive of what this state of Substance, now being reached, is like. By a scientific form of poetry we might think of it as melting into Energy—pure Energy, if there were such a thing. Long since it has been resolved into its original Particles—its Corpuscles, and perhaps into the "stuff" from which particles are made. But we must let the curtain drop—the wildest fancy cannot follow the Dance of Substance any further.

The theory of the transmission of vibrations of Radiant Energy by means of "waves" in the Ether, or "something that takes the place of the Ether," has been mentioned in other parts of the book. Referring again to it, the writer would say that he thinks it probable that the "waves" coming in contact with the countless Corpuscles in the Earth's atmosphere, communicate a high rate of motion to them, the result being that they take on the vibrations immediately, and pass along with the "wave" current—the result being that much that we consider as waves of Light, Heat and Electricity are but streams of these Corpuscles in which vibrations have been awakened by the "waves." This idea will help to explain some of the phenomena of Light, which seemed more understandable under the old Light-Corpuscle theory of Newton than under the "wave" theory of recent years. The idea is advanced merely for the purpose of setting down the thought, for it plays no important part in the theory of the book.

Another matter that should not be overlooked in connection with Light and Heat and Electricity is that Particles absorb or "catch" the vibrations in different degrees, their receptivity depending upon their particular vibratory mode, or "custom of their kind." If unable to "absorb" the vibrations, they "reflect" them. Substance, of any particular kind, absorb Heat in the degree of its atomic weight.

In the next chapter we shall learn something of The Law of Attraction, that wonderful Law that makes possible any Motion or Radiant Energy.

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IN the previous chapters we have seen that all forms of Radiant Energy, viz. , Light, Heat, Electricity and Magnetism, arose from the Motion of the Particles of Substance. It now becomes important to learn just what cause this "Motions of the Particles." Science is somewhat hazy and foggy on this subject, but in a general way decides that it is caused by "the mutual relations and positions of the particles, arising from their respective attractive qualities," as a recent writer has expressed it. Well, this is better than the old way of seeking refuge and retreat in a mere volume of dense words. It is indeed the only logical conclusion, this one that the operations of the Law of Attraction are manifested in the Motion of the Particles.

This great Law of Attraction is the greatest Law in Nature. It operates on all planes of life. It is always in evidence. Let us consider it.

Let us begin by considering the most magnificent and constant exhibition of that Law—Gravitation. Gravitation is the Riddle of the Universe, and the one form of Energy that balks Science—so much a mystery that Science does not even hazard a "guess" at its nature—no theory of the origin and nature of Gravitation is to be found in "the books." Let us see what Gravitation is.