Shortly after these announcements were made public, with the consent of the writers, Anglo-Austria contained two papers on the subject, from which, principally, the article on Etheric Philosophy is taken.
S. Zolver Preston, in his “Physics of the Ether,” says: “A quantity of matter representing a total mass of only one grain, and possessing the normal velocity of the ether particles, that of a wave of light, encloses a state of energy represented by upward of one thousand millions of foot tons. Or the mass of one single grain contains an energy not less than that possessed by a mass of 70,000 tons, moving at the speed of a cannon ball (1200 feet per second); or, otherwise, a quantity of matter, representing a mass of one grain, endued with the velocity of the ether particles, encloses an amount of energy which, if entirely utilized, would be competent to project a weight of 100 tons to a height of one mile and nine-tenths of a mile.”
Etheric philosophy has a scientific basis in fact; and in the light of Keely’s progressive demonstrations, his views are no longer abnormal to the scientific mind which is willing to admit the possibility of a discovery in which it has had no part. To discover an unknown power is one thing; to subjugate it is quite another thing. The one may be stumbled over; the other can only be attained after laborious investigation. No one who has followed Keely in his “dead work,” during the last ten years, can doubt that he has been, and still is, dealing with the same force which, as Professor Hertz has disclosed to us, is already imprisoned, without our knowledge, in electro-magnetic engines. If thus, unknowingly, it has been made the servant of man, in machinery not especially constructed for its use, may it not also have been imprisoned by one who is adapting his inventions to its special requirements? Keely demonstrates, with what he calls vibratory machinery, that all corpuscules of matter may be subdivided by a certain order of vibration, thus showing up new elements; and having demonstrated what he asserts, by releasing the various orders of ether from the suspension in which it is always held in our atmosphere, he has answered the sceptical demand “Give us some bread.” It has been said that as men penetrate deeper and deeper into a knowledge of the wonderful laws which govern the universe they may find mysterious forces which remain still undiscovered. Keely’s discoveries promise to burst upon the world of science as the one mighty and complete revelation of the universe. There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in the materialistic science of our age, or in our philosophy. “All we have cognizance of around us are results, the causes of which are supersensuous. Of the nature which we behold around us, the cause is supernatural.”
The Reverend Albert H. Plumb, of Roxbury, Mass., who has followed Mr. Keely’s efforts, to obtain control of the unknown force which he discovered more than twenty years ago, up to his present successful demonstration before scientists, says: “Neither theological science nor any department of physical science, as it lies in the divine mind, is exactly expressed in any human system; yet no knowledge is to be decried nor despised, least of all in the highest realms of thought. The agnostic makes the mistake of confounding exhaustive knowledge with positive knowledge in declaring both unattainable. We can know positively that a thing is, if not how or why it is. As Gladstone says, ‘Our hands can lay hold of truths which our arms cannot embrace. We can apprehend what we cannot comprehend.’ If Keely should die, I fear no one could understand his writings. Every day we read of distinguished men dying. The other day a man carried with him into the grave his secret for the cheap production of aluminium. No one man entrusted by Providence with high interests has a right to allow a possibility of their sinking back, perhaps for ages, into the void of the unknown. Why not confine attention strictly to making the discovery practically intelligible to others, and thus securing to mankind the first steps by which the new force is evoked and controlled, and leave to later leisure the subtler relations of this power to the divine mind and to life?”
For years Mr. Keely did “confine attention” to efforts to prove his discovery by practical methods, without making any advance; and it was not until he was led into the spiritual or philosophical bearings of his discovery that he himself gained “practically intelligible” ideas of its nature. To Dr. Macvicar’s “Sketch of a Philosophy,” from which Mrs. Moore compiled “Ether the True Protoplasm,” and to Mrs. Hughes’ book on the evolution of tones and colours, Mr. Keely is indebted for the pregnant germs which, falling from their writings upon his mind, took him from the line of experiment which he was pursuing, into the only line of research which can lead to scientific and commercial success. The hour in which he reaches one he reaches both; nor can one be gained without the other being gained. This should teach us that, though “the heart of man deviseth his way, the Lord directeth his steps.” God never hurries, and He chooses His own instruments, employing them after a manner that is inscrutable to us, in our weak impatience for results. Admitting the truth of all that Dr. Plumb has said, but understanding fully the impossibility of directing Mr. Keely’s steps, until he himself gains more control of the force that he has discovered, we must “wait upon the Lord,” who is revealing to him “the deep mysteries of Creation.” In the meantime, those in whom narrowness of mind has not caused stubbornness will hold themselves in readiness to prove all things and hold fast to the truth. We do not easily believe what is beyond our own knowledge, but faith in the claims of Keely as a discoverer, if not as an inventor, is steadily increasing. The following from a foreign publication about the Keely Motor will be of interest to all who have watched the progress of that enterprise. The correspondent writes:—“In the following brief article I purpose placing the latest aspect of Mr. Keely, perhaps the best abused man in America, and his investigations before the readers of Anglo-Austria;” continuing,—
“Under the heading of ‘The Keely Motor Again,’ Invention, of London, on October 19th, printed a communication, mentioning the leading scientist of America, Dr. Leidy, of the University of Pennsylvania, as supporting Mr. Keely’s claims as a discoverer of an unknown force, as follows:—Dr. Leidy having expressed the wish that Professor Barker should again visit Mr. Keely and witness the experiments which had convinced himself that Keely had discovered a new force, has received the following letter:—
“909, Walnut Street, Philadelphia, October 4, 1889.
“Dr. Leidy. Sir,—Referring to our conversation of a few days since, and the suggestion of another visit to the workshop of Mr. Keely, by Professor Barker, I would say that I have presented the matter to Mr. Keely and he acquiesces in what I stated to you. That is to say, if Dr. Barker desires to visit Mr. Keely’s workshops again, and will make this known to him in writing or through yourself, for the purpose of further observation and of having confirmed or removed from his mind, as the case may be, the conclusions or impressions arrived at by him, and published in the columns of the Ledger, of this city, in 1878; and on condition that he will, if his further observations satisfy him that he did injustice to Mr. Keely, forthwith publish that fact through the same channel, the Ledger: he being, of course, at full liberty to confirm by further publication his previous condemnation, if satisfied with the correctness of that conclusion; then Dr. Barker will be cordially received by Mr. Keely, and a series of experiments will be conducted for him at an early day, say, Saturday, 12 inst. And in the event of the engagement being made, I shall request the pleasure of your presence, and that of Dr. McCook. I leave the matter in your hands for such action as you in your wise discretion may think proper to take. Very truly yours,
“Charles B. Collier.”
Nothing could be fairer than Mr. Keely’s proposal, and the result of Professor Barker’s visit will be watched for with the keenest interest by all scientists on both sides of the Atlantic.[1]
“Professor Barker, after due consideration, concluded not to accept the invitation, and declined it on October 11th, suggesting Professor Goodspeed, his associate in physics, as one who would probably be disposed to witness the series of experiments about to be given; showing the neutralizing or overcoming of gravity and the separation of metallic plates by vibration. After the date upon which these latter experiments were to have been made, and which I may mention, en passant, had been repeatedly made in the laboratory of Mr. Keely, this cablegram was sent from London to Philadelphia:— ‘Ask Dr. Leidy’s permission to announce here his conviction that Keely has discovered a new force.’ ”
The answer was returned as follows:—