70 De. Macvicae'8 Adaptation of the Philosophy of 



Supposing a particle of H, on the other hand, to exist under the 

 influence of an oblate or tabular form, as, for instance, a comet in 

 its distance from the sun, or the leaf of a 

 plant, it will now tend to become oblate also ; 

 and this it may accomplish by uniting with 

 three particles of aether or of the medium of 

 light, one on each of the three angles of its 

 equator. Its atomic weight now = 8. 



But this combination, H, thus loaded on the 

 equator, will no sooner escape from the region 

 whose assimilation or inductive influence gene- 

 rated it, than it will tend to improve its symmetry, and restore its 

 sphericity, by uniting with two particles more — one for each pole — so 

 that it may combine in itself the features of all the three varieties, and 

 thus we reach an atom of double H. This is, however, a much less 

 perfect species than the simple form. And, therefore, under the law of 

 the permanency of species, here acting for the recovery of the original 

 type, we are to expect that the simple and original atom of H will, at 

 the first moment that the temperature is high, or a chemical is 

 presented which invites 2 H to unite with it, escape from the five 

 accessory particles of light superadded to it ; while they, in their turn, 

 moving under its assimilative influence, as well as acting to preserve 

 their own type, which is aLso that of H, will immediately resolve them- 

 selves into another H. And thus the atom of double hydrogen will 

 efiloresce into 2 H. The first combinations of H — those, namely, with 

 the aether in which it is dissolved — give these numbers of combination 

 so usual, viz., 2, 3, and 5. 



But before we have the third, we shall have the two former ; and 

 these two are dissimilar, and their difierences are the very counterparts 

 of each other. When, therefore, they meet in the same region, they 

 will unite ; and this they may do in either of two ways, viz., equators 

 to equators, or poles to poles. Suppose at present the first mode 

 of union. We thus obtain them united in couples (or rather in pairs). 

 But such couples being dissimilar on their alternate aspects, and very 

 defective in reference to sphericity, they will in their turn unite when 

 they meet ; but that only until three have done so ; for, on the 

 occurrence of three in one, the circle is closed most beautifully by a 

 combination of the most exquisite symmetry, as in the figures below, 

 its equator a regular hexagon, and its axis, as it were, distributed 

 into six meridional parts. It is also such, that its investing atomosphere 

 will naturally assume the spherical as that which is proper to its form ; 

 while the nucleus will ultimately symmetrize itself, as in fig. 1. To- 



