58 MAGNETISM, THE LIFE OF THE WORLD—DEWAR. 
Arr, IX.—MAGNETISM, THE LIFE OF THE WorLD.—By ANDREW 
DEWAR. 
(Read April 14th, 1879.) 
In commencing I may say that I quarrel with no religious. 
bodies or opinions. In saying that Magnetism is the Life of the 
World, I mean in its broadest sense and as a physical fact 
OMlive | )h'* 
By life, I mean the life foree, or vital principle, which animates: 
and regulates everything, from the crystals in the rocks to the 
spreading of the tree and the breathing of the animal. One law, 
(and is it not a grand and likely idea,) one law pervades the 
world, and regulates itself and everything connected with it as 
one body, even such a body as our own is. Thus, what we con- 
sider space, may be to the planets as firm and compact a material 
as our flesh is to our bones or blood veins. 
Before we indicate the connection between life and magnetism, — 
we must show first what maguctisim is, according to our ideas of 
it, the properties it possesses, and the extent of its domain. 
Magnetism was, and still is supposed to be a property belong-- 
ing peculiarly to iron. Certain particles of iron were seen to 
attract and repel one another, and this force was called magnet- 
ism. We observe, howevex, that other materials attract and 
repel one another, although not in so marked a manner. 
For instance, there are layers of slate, freestone, shale, coal,. 
granite, ete., all separate and distinet, each material by itself. 
The question arises, how came each material to be so stratified ? 
It could only be done in two ways. Either it was brought and 
placed there by physical means, throwgh some superhuman 
agency; or, which is the more likely, the attraction of like 
materials, and the consequent repulsion of unlike materials, 
formed these beds, when, possibly, everything was in a state of 
solution. 
All matter then, (and innumerable examples and facts will 
occur to every one to prove the assertion,) is governed by a law 
of the attraction of like materials. 
But, as iron particles exhibit polarity, so we believe do the 
atoms of all other materials. Our reason is, that we find a con- 
tas 
