Newton, Leibnitz, and Boscovich to the Atomic Theory. G5 



rents of molecules generally, they will pass each other, each reacting on 

 the other only so as to establish a dynamic equivalence in force, and a 

 harmonic relationship in form between them. And thus a state of things 

 must result very favourable to the continuance of the action at z, and 

 to the transformation of the particles of a aq successively into H O, 

 all the way between z and c. Thus previously to the establishment 

 of the contact between Z and C, that is, during the state of tension, 

 atoms of must often have been repelled from z by being met 

 by pulsations of z of the same dimensions as their own, and so 

 must atoms of H have been repelled from c for the same reason. 

 But now that the undulatory system proper to flows continuously 

 through z round into c, and from c through a Q to z again, it tends, 

 instead of repelling atoms of O from z, to impel them on it, coming 

 as it does upon their back with a force applied to them, and tending 

 towards z ; and for the same reason the H current, by its own undu- 

 latory action, carried round till it came up behind the atoms of 11, 

 pointing towards c, will tend to cause them to face and sti'ike with more 

 effect upon c. And thus whole lines of aq may be transformed into 

 atoms of HO, HO, HO, &c., all the way between Z and C. A closed 

 or circular current of force will be kept up through the combination as 

 long as there remains material for sustaining the chemical action at 

 the z end of a q. 



(a.) It follows from these views, however, that the atoms of H must 

 not only tend to develop themselves upon C, but to adhere to it, and in 

 the very proportion that they do so, must impair the current. A grand 

 desideratum, therefore, for constituting a current that shall be constant, 

 is to withdraw the atoms of H as fast as they develop themselves on c, 

 as for instance by presenting to them atoms of O with which they may 

 unite and relapse into aq. — {Grove.') 



(b.) Moreover, it follows from these views also, and under the same law 

 of afisiinilation, that while z is being assimilated to the liquid medium 

 in the region of z, that is, dissolved, a moment of liquid saturation shall 

 arrive when the assimilative influence of the solid particles in the solu- 

 tion shall be more powerful than those of the liquid parts, and the dis- 

 solved particles of z will now assimilate themselves to c by forming a 

 deposit on its surface. To z they cannot attach so easily, both because 

 it is undergoing solution and change, and because of the repulsive action 

 which is stronger between homogeneous than heterogeneous particles ; 

 c therefore will tend to be coated with z. But when c is coated with 

 z, it is assimilated to z, the law of assimilation has accomplished its 

 end ; the action due to it, the current, will therefore cease. In order to 



Vol. IV.— No. 1. K 



