58 De. Macticae's Adaptation of the Philosophy of 



actuate every molecule which is a member in the universe, we shall 

 have the phenomenon of currents of force possessing pecuUar char- 

 acters, not possible to be investigated at 

 present, but which we may (by anticipation) 

 designate by the general term polarity; for 

 the law of assimilation demands that every 

 such current of finite section shall be ac- 

 companied by another, dynamically and sym- 

 metricallj'^ related to it, equivalent in force, 

 and flowing in a contrary direction. With 

 respect to these cm-rents, it may, however, be 

 mentioned here, that there will be two grand 

 classes of them according to the morphological character of the 

 molecules in which they circulate. Thus all molecules must be 

 either homopolar (that is, with similar poles), as fig. H, or heteropolar 

 (that is, with dissimilar poles), as fig. M ; the latter representing a 

 nucleus composed of four setherial atoms or elementary forces, the former 

 a nucleus of double that number constituted of two of the others united 

 face to face. Now, in the former case, the currents must circulate 

 between the polar and the equatorial parts in each molecule, and this 

 is believed to be generally the case in the repose of nature : in the 

 latter case they must circulate between the poles, as m those molecules 

 and masses commonly regarded as magnetic, idio-electric, <S:c. 



It is not alone a mechanism of repulsion, however, whether acting 

 directly as heat, or indirectly as polarity, which our grand law presents 

 to us. It gives phenomena of a grander order — phenomena which 

 transcend the idea of mechanism altogether. 



Of Atteaction. 



VI. The elementary particles or physical points constituting the 

 atomosphere of a molecule, or any masses or molecules whatever existing 

 at the same time in different places, although they be homogeneous or 

 similar to each other in kind, and in this respect tend each to maintain 

 its present position, or to withdi-aw from others if encroached upon by 

 them, yet, inasmuch as they occupy different positions in space, must, 

 under the law of assimilation, tend in successive moments to be assimi- 

 lated as to the space they occupy, that is, they must tend towards 

 each other ; in popular language they must attract each other. And as 

 this is a mode of action dictated simply in relation to space, culminating 

 towards the confluence of those elements actuated by it into the same 

 space, and thus pointing to a centre as its limit, our physical element 

 now presents itself to us as a centre of attraction invested by an atmospliere 



