RESIDUO-CAPILLARY ATTRACTION. 221 



equilibrium, and the tendency is the greatest where the curvature is 

 the greatest. 



16. Hence it is easy to see that the protruding segments of each 

 fluid will become more and more pointed at their summits of greatest 

 curvature as they advance into the opposite fluids, thus forming 

 interlacing spiculse, shooting into the opposite fluids, and at the same 

 time inosculating with each other by their lateral protrusion, and 

 that this process cannot cease until the fluids have divided each 

 other into segments of a magnitude comparable with that of the 

 sphere of sensible attraction. 



Beyond this limit the theory does not hold. It is very possible then, 

 that in some cases a limit may be attained where the mixing fluids 

 have arrived at such a state of subdivision, that the conditions for 

 continuing the subdivision are no longer satisfied ; in other cases it 

 is possible that the subdivision may proceed until the ultimate atoms 

 of the opposite fluids act upon each other by ones, twos, and threes, 

 thus effecting a chemical decomposition : nature presents numerous 

 instances of both kinds. 



17. But though the mathematical theory is not strictly applicable 

 when the subdivided segments are of less magnitude than the sphere 

 of sensible attraction, it may be considered as an approximation to the 

 truth considerably beyond this limit. For, the most effective part of 

 the attraction of each segment being that exerted by the particles 

 in immediate contact with the normal column, the diminution of 

 the segments will only have the effect of removing the more feeble 

 part of the attractions which the theory takes into the account. It is 

 therefore probable that, even in cases where no chemical decomposition 

 takes place, the subdivision of the fluids may be carried to a limit far 

 beyond that to which the theory is strictly applicable. Besides, the 

 processes of nature are not interrupted of a sudden; the tendency 

 therefore to farther subdivision cannot be suddenly arrested, but in 

 cases where it is ultimately reduced to nothing, it must be so by 

 passing through all degrees of magnitude. This reasoning is further 



Vol. V. Paet II. F f 



