In recent years much attention has been devoted to certain speculative theories with respect to the origin and ultimate nature of matter and energy. Such hypotheses, emanating as they do from prominent workers, and fostered by the inherent imaginative tendency of the human mind, have gained considerable standing. But it is surely unnecessary to point out that all questions relating to origins are essentially outside the pale of true science. Any hypotheses which may be thus formulated have not the support of experimental facts in their conclusions; they belong rather to the realm of speculative philosophy than to that of science. In the total absence of confirmatory phenomena, such theories can, at best, only be regarded as plausible speculations, to be accepted, it may be, without argument, and ranking in interest in the order of their plausibility. Of modern research into the ultimate constitution of matter little requires to be said. It is largely founded on certain radio-active and electrical phenomena which, in themselves, contribute little information. But aided by speculative methods and the use of preconceived ethereal hypotheses, various elaborate theories have been formulated, explaining matter and its properties entirely in terms of ethereal motions. Such conceptions in their proper sphere--namely, that of metaphysics--would be no doubt of interest, but when advanced as a scientific proposition or solution they border on the ridiculous. In the absence of phenomena bearing on the subject, it would seem that the last resort of the modern scientist lies in terminology. To the average seeker after truth, however, the term "matter," as applied to the material world, will still convey as much meaning as the more elaborate scientific definitions.