1825.} 
Other affections they call the element, 
or fluid, or matter of Licut! Why 
have they not called other affections, 
the element, or fluid, or matter of 
Sounp ?—If they had done so, the error 
would have been manifest; but they 
were shielded from vulgar ridicule, in 
regard to the two former, by certain 
obscurities of action,—though, by exact 
parity of reasoning, there is just as much 
an element of Sounp, as there is one of 
Caloric or of Light—aye, as an element 
of Electricity, or any, if not all, their 
modern elements ! 
One of the consequences of this blun- 
dering mode of reasoning, or, more 
properly, sophisticating, to shield the 
reputation of names, will appear, in 
considering the Experiment of the 
Prism, in accordance with the new 
hypothesis relative to light. 
The truth is this,—that all these 
Elements or Qualities, per se, are merely 
so many varied mechanical affections of 
the same, or different atoms; and their 
alleged qualities consist, entirely, of 
their relalive actions and re-actions; for 
all our tests are material, and our esti- 
mates of all qualities are the action 
of one material thing on another mate- 
rial thing. 
If light does not consist of identical 
rays flowing from the luminous body, 
but is merely an excitement or propul- 
sion of the trains of atoms, existing 
within the space in which the luminous 
body is situated, then, when the prism 
decomposes light, it does not decom- 
pose any atoms flowing from the lumi- 
nous body, but it decomposes all the 
atoms of the surrounding gas excited 
by the combustion, as the constituents 
or bases of the atmosphere, for example, 
—and thereby displays or analyzes the 
actual atoms composing the gazeous 
. atmosphere. 
In this respect, it is the finest experi- 
ment in Natural Philosophy; but its 
importance has been misccnceived, ow- 
ing to light being considered as a dis- 
tinct element per se, flowing or travel- 
ling from the luminous body; and it 
has been mistakenly imagined, that the 
prism decomposed this light or ele- 
ment: whereas, as light is merely an 
excitement of the atoms of the atmos 
sphere or the gas of space, the prism 
actually decomposes and exhibits the 
varied atoms of the medium in which 
the excitement takes place. 
Hence, the harmony of the Prismatic 
and the Diatonic Scales,—since tones 
are merely the affections of different 
Northern Mythology. 
227 
sets of atoms, and not blended affec- 
tions of the whole gazeous mass. 
(Vide Essays and Dialogues.) The de- 
composition or action of the prism on 
the same composition of atoms being 
mechanical, so the mechanical re-action 
of vibrations is, in regard to other: 
mechanical affections of the same atoms, 
produced in the very same proportions. 
The chemical effects are equally 
striking, and accord with the known 
chemical affections of the atmosphere— 
except that the prismatic decomposition 
is far more perfect and delicate than 
any of the tests and experimental means 
afforded by chemistry. Contrasted ac- 
tion has afforded knowledge of the two 
ends, but much remains to be discovered 
and applied, relative to the intermediate 
parts. 
The atoms thus separated by the 
prism, compose, in fixed and com- 
pounded states, all the solids in nature, 
as well as the fluids and gases. 
Those at the two ends of the spec- 
trum, separated by other means, pro- 
duce, likewise, all the phenomena of 
Electricity, Galvanism and Magnetism. 
By this view of the subject, we arrive 
at the most general and comprehensive ’ 
inductions, in harmony throughout, like 
the system of Nature, which is, neces- 
sarily, a system of relative fitness and 
harmony. Instead of jarring elements, 
existing co-extensively and. incompre- 
hensively, we have, in the same exciting » 
motions, and in varied atoms, detected 
and determined by the prismatic spec- 
trum, the direct cause of Light and 
Colours; of Regular Tones; of Heat; 
of the Active Agencies of Chemistry ; 
of the Electric, Galvanic and Magnetic ’ 
Phenomena; of the Energy of Animal 
Life; &c. &c.—the details of which in- 
clude the whole circle of philosophical 
inquiry, and the economy of all nature. 
Common SENnsE. 
Brighton, March 12, 1825. 
—=z>—— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
Sir: 
LONG-cherished fondness for the 
sublime and magnificent imagery 
of the Northern Eddas, drew my atten- . 
tion to the ensuing criticism, in a recent _ 
number ofthe“ Revue Encyclopédique;” 
and thinking it not an unfit article, at _ 
least, to hang a few notes upon, relative 
to a subject to which I am anxious to 
attract a larger portion of public atten- 
tion than it has yet received, I caused | 
the critique to be translated, and sub- 
2G2 joining 
