The paper investigates whether a gravitational theory with finite range is possible. It concludes that no acceptable tensor gravitational theory with arbitrarily long but finite range exists. In the linear approximation, the infinite-range limit is a scalar-tensor mixture, implying an effective matter-matter coupling different from the strictly infinite-range prediction and contradicting experimental results. The scalar component requires a ghost scalar coupling. In the massive version of the full Einstein theory, there are six rather than five tensor degrees of freedom, the energy has no lower bound, the infinite-range limit does not exist, and the lowest-order forces are the same as in the massive linearized theory. The paper discusses the properties of gravitational theories with finite range, emphasizing the conflict between physical continuity and gauge principles. It shows that the infinite-range limit of the massive theory does not agree with general relativity and that the energy has no lower bound. The paper also examines the implications of these findings for the full Einstein theory, concluding that general relativity is an isolated theory and not the limit of a continuous set of long-range models. The paper argues that there is no experimental evidence for a falling-off of gravitation, and the isolation of the Einstein theory may be taken as an argument in favor of its being the uniquely correct, purely geometrical theory of gravitation. The paper also discusses the implications of these findings for the full Einstein theory, concluding that the difficulties become worse than in the linear theory. The paper concludes that general relativity is an isolated theory and not the limit of a continuous set of long-range models.The paper investigates whether a gravitational theory with finite range is possible. It concludes that no acceptable tensor gravitational theory with arbitrarily long but finite range exists. In the linear approximation, the infinite-range limit is a scalar-tensor mixture, implying an effective matter-matter coupling different from the strictly infinite-range prediction and contradicting experimental results. The scalar component requires a ghost scalar coupling. In the massive version of the full Einstein theory, there are six rather than five tensor degrees of freedom, the energy has no lower bound, the infinite-range limit does not exist, and the lowest-order forces are the same as in the massive linearized theory. The paper discusses the properties of gravitational theories with finite range, emphasizing the conflict between physical continuity and gauge principles. It shows that the infinite-range limit of the massive theory does not agree with general relativity and that the energy has no lower bound. The paper also examines the implications of these findings for the full Einstein theory, concluding that general relativity is an isolated theory and not the limit of a continuous set of long-range models. The paper argues that there is no experimental evidence for a falling-off of gravitation, and the isolation of the Einstein theory may be taken as an argument in favor of its being the uniquely correct, purely geometrical theory of gravitation. The paper also discusses the implications of these findings for the full Einstein theory, concluding that the difficulties become worse than in the linear theory. The paper concludes that general relativity is an isolated theory and not the limit of a continuous set of long-range models.