Part 1

Transcriber’s notes:

In this plain-text e-book, italic text is denoted by underscores. Superscripted text is indicated by a preceding caret mark, e.g. 2^{n-1}

ATOMS AND ELECTRONS

J. W. N. Sullivan

DORAN’S MODERN READERS’ BOOKSHELF

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI Gilbert K. Chesterton

THE STORY OF THE RENAISSANCE Sidney Dark

VICTORIAN POETRY John Drinkwater

THE POETRY OF ARCHITECTURE Frank Rutter

ATOMS AND ELECTRONS J. W. N. Sullivan

EVERYDAY BIOLOGY J. Arthur Thomson

Other Volumes in Preparation

ATOMS AND ELECTRONS

BY J. W. N. SULLIVAN

NEW YORK GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1924, BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

ATOMS AND ELECTRONS —B— PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Of all human ambitions an open mind eagerly expectant of new discoveries and ready to remold convictions in the light of added knowledge and dispelled ignorances and misapprehensions, is the noblest, the rarest and the most difficult to achieve.

JAMES HARVEY ROBINSON, in “The Humanizing of Knowledge.”

It is the purpose of Doran’s Modern Readers’ Bookshelf to bring together in brief, stimulating form a group of books that will be fresh appraisals of many things that interest modern men and women. Much of History, Literature, Biography and Science is of intense fascination for readers today and is lost to them by reason of being surrounded by a forbidding and meticulous scholarship.

These books are designed to be simple, short, authoritative, and such as would arouse the interest of intelligent readers. As nearly as possible they will be intended, in Professor Robinson’s words quoted above, “to remold convictions in the light of added knowledge.”

This “adding of knowledge” and a widespread eagerness for it are two of the chief characteristics of our time. Never before, probably, has there been so great a desire to know, or so many exciting discoveries of truth of one sort or another. Knowledge and the quest for it has now about it the glamour of an adventure. To the quickening of this spirit in our day Doran’s Modern Readers’ Bookshelf hopes to contribute.

In addition to the volumes announced here others are in preparation for early publication. The Editors will welcome suggestions for the Bookshelf and will be glad to consider any manuscripts suitable for inclusion.

The Editors.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Chapter I