Scientific Reviews. 259 



forms of the various orders of animated beings. Through this wide 

 field we cannot follow it ; but conceiving that the first and surest 

 test of the system here propounded, is to be found in its applica- 

 tion to atomic chemistry, we shall confine ourselves at present to 

 this, the main department of the work, reserving the physiolo- 

 gicaJ portion, should time and occasion permit, for consideration in 

 some future number. In this branch of science alone can we grap- 

 ple with the mechanical forms, particles, and molecules the author 

 has built up. In animal and vegetable physiology we have few defi- 

 nite data to guide us, so that while physics have long shaken off 

 almost entirely the dominion of hypothesis, these branches of know- 

 ledge still remain an open field for theoretical speculation. 



The work is divided into four books. The first treats of the 

 structure and action of matter ; the second of the radiant medium ; 

 the third of chemical and natural substances ; the fourth of ani- 

 mals and plants. Before entering upon the third book, which oc- 

 cupies about 300 pages, it will be necessary to lay before our read- 

 ers a vieiv of the principles on which the illustrations of Mr. JM'- 

 Vicar are founded. It is a matter of disadvantage to the reader of 

 his book, that he has not himself set out with a concise view of his 

 system, separating what is assumed, what is inferred, and what is 

 demonstrated, but has so involved it, and mixed it up with other 

 matter, that he has at length found himself obliged to refer to page 

 508, for an outline which had more properly formed an introduc- 

 tion to his whole work. So far as we have been able to understand 

 him, however, we find the following positions maintained : — 



1. There are two kinds of matter, — hard or atomic matter, and 

 motorial or subtle matter. 



2. The ultimate atoms of hard matter are impenetrable, elastic, 

 highly angular, uniform in size, and have the form of the regular 

 tetrahedron. 



• 3. The subtle matter every "wi^re invests the atomic matter in 

 quantities which are variable and specific. The form of an atom 

 invested by its subtle matter is a perfect sphere. 



4. The radiant medium, that which fills up the intervals between 

 all dense bodies, consists of these spheres symmetrically related 

 and fixed in their positions by their mutual attractions. It is " the 

 common vapour of concrete matter." 



5. Subtle matter attached to the angles of atomic matter, gives 

 rise to the phenomena of attraction and permanent adhesion, — to 

 those of gravitation, of aggregation, of crystallization, of cohesion, 

 and of magnetisin : attached to the surfaces, it gives rise to the 

 phenomena of repulsion and rarefaction, to light, electricity, and 

 galvanis7n. 



6. Heat consists in a tremulous motion in the atoms of bodies. 

 7- When the attractive power predominates over the repulsive, 



the atoms of hard matter unite in difl^erent numbers and posi- 



VOL. II. 2 L 



