Keely and His Discoveries: Aerial Navigation

by Mrs. Bloomfield H. Moore

If these treatises were read from the first page to the last, by men of science, they would not at present be any better understood than were Gilbert’s writings in his age, author of “De Magnete.”

Newton was indebted to Gilbert for his discovery of the so-called law of gravitation. Keely defines gravity as transmittive inter-etheric force under immense etheric vibration, and electricity as a certain form of atomic vibration. When Gilbert, court-physician to Queen Elizabeth, announced his discovery of electricity, he was asked by his compeers of what use it was. No one dreamed then of it as a motive power. He replied, “Of what use is a baby? It may develop into a man or a woman, and, although we cannot make any use of electricity now, the world may in time find out uses for it.” Just as little understood would Keely’s writings be now on sympathetic negative attraction as were Gilbert’s writings then on electricity and magnetism. Men found no sense in the words “electric” and “electricity,” although derived from the Greek root for amber. The same fault is found with Keely for coining new words which no one understands.

“Every branch of science, every doctrine of extensive application, has had its alphabet, its rudiments, its grammar: at each fresh step in the path of discovery the researcher has had to work out by experiment the unknown laws which govern his discovery.” To attempt to introduce “the world”—even scientists—to any new system without previous preparation would be like giving a Persian book to a man to read who knew nothing of the language. As has been said, we do not expect a complicated problem in the higher mathematical analysis to be solved by one who is ignorant of the elementary rules of arithmetic. Just as useless would it be to expect every scientist to comprehend the laws of etheric physics and etheric philosophy after having witnessed Keely’s experiments. The requirement of every demonstration is that it shall give sufficient proof of the truth that it asserts. A demonstration which does less than this cannot be relied upon, and no demonstration ever made has done more. The success of a demonstration is in proportion as the means applied are adequate or inadequate. As different principles exist in various forms of matter, it is quite impossible to demonstrate every truth by the same means or the same principles. It is only the prejudice of ignorance which exacts that every demonstration shall be given by a prescribed canon of science; as if the science of the present were thoroughly conversant with every principle that exists in nature. Yet physicists exact this, though they must know its inadequacy.

Mr. Keely does not expect more from scientists than that they should withhold their defamatory opinions of him until they have witnessed his demonstrations and acquainted themselves with his theories. Yet, notwithstanding Professor Crooke’s psychical researches and Professor Rücker’s experiments in molecular vibration, demonstrating that molecules seem to have a “mental attribute, a sort of expression of free will,” physicists still look upon the human organism as little more than a machine, taking small interest in experiments which evince the dominion of spirit over matter. Keely’s researches in this province have shown him that it is neither the electric nor the magnetic flow, but the etheric, which sends its current along our nerves; that the electric and magnetic flows bear but an infinitely small ratio to the etheric flow, both as to velocity and tenuity; that true coincidents can exist between any mediums,—cartilage to steel, steel to wood, wood to stone, and stone to cartilage; that the same influence, sympathetic association, which governs all the solids holds the same control over all liquids, and again from liquid to solid, embracing the three kingdoms, animal, vegetable, and mineral; that the action of mind over matter thoroughly substantiates the incontrovertible laws of sympathetic etheric influence; that the only true medium which exists in nature is the sympathetic flow emanating from the normal human brain, governing correctly the graduating and setting-up of the true sympathetic vibratory positions in machinery, necessary to commercial success; that these flows come in on the order of the fifth and seventh positions of atomic subdivision, compound inter-etheric sympathy a resultant of this subdivision; that if metallic mediums are brought under the influence of this sympathetic flow they become organisms which carry the same influence with them that the human brain does over living physical positions, and that the composition of metallic and that of physical organisms are one and the same thing, although the molecular arrangement of the physical may be entirely opposite to the metallic on their aggregations; that the harmonious chords induced by sympathetic positive vibration permeate the molecules in each, notwithstanding, and bring about the perfect equation of any differentiation that may exist—in one the same as in the other—and thus they become one and the same medium for sympathetic transmission; that the etheric, or will-flow, is of a tenuity coincident to the condition governing the seventh subdivision of matter, a condition of subtlety that readily and instantaneously permeates all forms of aggregated matter, from air to solid hammered steel, the velocity of the permeation being the same with the one as with the other; that the tenuity of the etheric flow is so infinitely fine that a magnifying glass, the power of which would enlarge the smallest grain of sand to the size of the sun, brought to bear upon it would not make its structure visible to us; and that, light traversing space at the speed of two hundred thousand miles per second, a distance requiring light a thousand centuries to reach would be traversed by the etheric flow in an indefinite fragment of a second.

11th. Keely has given such proof of genius as should bring all scientists who approach him into that attitude of mind which would lead them to receive without prejudice the evidence of the truth of the claims he offers.

Genius has been defined as an extraordinary power of synthetic creation. Another definition of the man of genius is, the man who unceasingly cultivates and perfects such great natural aptitudes and facilities as he has been endowed with at his birth. No man has ever lived on this earth who, according to these qualifications, so deserved to be known and acknowledged as a man of genius as John Worrell Keely. History will determine whether he is a man of genius or “a charlatan,” as some scientists still persist in calling him. It is easier, as has been said, to accuse a man of fraud than to account for unknown phenomena. A system of doctrine can be legitimately refuted only upon its own principles, viz., by disproving its facts and invalidating the principles deduced from them. Abercrombie said that the necessary caution which preserves us from credulity should not be allowed to engender scepticism,—that both of these extremes are equally unworthy of a mind which devotes itself with candour to the discovery of truth.

“We must not decide that a thing is impossible,” says Lebrun, “because of the common belief that it cannot exist; for the opinion of man cannot set limits to the operations of Nature, nor to the power of the Almighty. He who attempts to hold up to contempt a scientific subject of which he is profoundly ignorant has but small pretensions to the character of a philosopher.” Galileo said, after pronouncing his abjuration, “E pur si muove” (“But it does move”). What signified to him the opinion of men, when Nature confirmed his discovery? Of what value were their prejudices or their wisdom in opposition to her immutable laws? Kedzie, speculating upon the nature of force, writes, “Molecules and masses act precisely as they are acted on; they are governed by the iron instead of the golden rule. They do unto others as others have done unto them. Whence comes this energy? Not from atoms, but from the Creator, in the beginning.”

The Duke of Argyll says, “We know nothing of the ultimate seat of force. Science, in the modern doctrine of the conservation of energy and the convertibility of forces, is already getting something like a firm hold of the idea that all kinds of forces are but forms or manifestations of some one central force, arising from one fountain-head of power.”

12th. Keely’s researches have taught him that this one fountain-head is none other than the omnipotent and all-pervading Will-Force of the Almighty, which creates, upholds, guides, and governs the universe. “The whole world-process,” says Von Hartmann, “in its context is only a logical process; but in its existence it is a continued act of will.”

Lilly says, “This is what physical law means. Reason and will are inseparably united in the universe as they are in idea. If we will anything, it is for some reason. In contemplating the structure of the universe, we cannot resist the conclusion that the whole is founded upon a distinct idea.” Keely holds to the harmony of this “distinct idea” throughout creation, and he demonstrates by vibratory machinery that all forces are indestructible, immaterial, homogeneous entities, having their origin and unity in one great intelligent personal will-force.