HISTORY OF THE ATOMIC THEORY. 169 



" A like classical arrangement of bodies and natural sub- 

 stances composed of many chemical elements. 



OPINION, 



"1. That the homogeneal atoms of five elements repel 

 reciprocally. 



" 2. That the homogeneal atoms of two elements attract 

 reciprocally. 



"3. That the dissimilar atoms of five elements attract 

 reciprocally. 



"4. That the dissimilar atoms of two elements repel reci- 

 procally. 



" That the attraction subsisting between elementary atoms 

 is more forcible in one direction or axis of each atom than in 

 any other direction, and that there is a polarity in all matter 

 whatever. 



"6. That there is but one species of attraction operating 

 with great force between the similar or dissimilar atoms of 

 certain elements, and with less force between those of other 

 elements, in gradations ; but in all affected by distance and 

 polarity. 



" 7. That the attraction of bodies enumerated as distinct 

 properties of matter or laws of nature, are nothing more than 

 the sums of the attraction of their elementary atoms, or these 

 forces concentrated in a certain degree by the pressure of 

 repellent atoms, or these forces exerted to the greatest advan- 

 tage in bodies whose primary elementary attractions are 

 strongest, and whose primary elementary atoms are also 

 arranged in polar order. 



"8. That specific gravity is not as the quantity of 

 matter in a given space, but as the quality of the matter, or 

 the sum of its elementary attractions ; consequently, that light 

 bodies are not necessarily more porous than the heaviest.** 



Page 14. " Observations and experiments, showing the 

 grounds on which we ought for a while to admit the following 

 distinctions of earths, viz : 

 z 



