tieiv Mode of producing Fire. 5 



theory of caloric in some particular cases. But while one 

 says that the atoms or molecules of acids are electro-nega- 

 tive, because they move towards the positive pole, and that 

 the atoms of bases are electro-positive, because they are at- 

 tracted by the negative pole; while properties evidently be- 

 longing to the entire masses of bodies are thus ascribed to 

 the supposed properties of their atoms — but little is actually 

 gained ; even without considering how relative the notions of 

 acid and base are, by which alone the electro-chemical theory, 

 which is grounded exclusively on the phenomena of the Voltaic 

 battery, and which only expresses these phaenomena in a more 

 general manner, is often involved in great perplexity. It is 

 curious, however, that other phaenomena, much longer known 



and not less remarkable than those of the Voltaic battery 1 



mean the crystallo-electric phaenomena— should so little have 

 attracted the attention of philosophers, that they have not 

 found their merited place either in the compendiums of 

 natural philosophy or of mineralogy ; but have been referred 

 by the natural philosopher to the mineralogist, and by the 

 latter again to the former, being merely mentioned occasion- 

 ally in a note. It is therefore right to say, at last, to the neg- 

 lected guest at the bottom of the table of natural philosophy, 

 " Friend, approach nearer !" if it were only to see what would 

 result when he should be seated at the top. I will therefore 

 endeavour to deduce not only the chemical, but also the ge- 

 neral attraction of bodies, from these crystallo-electrical laws ; 

 for which reason I must refer to preceding volumes of this 

 Journal *. As we observe all bodies to divide according to 

 their crystalline texture, which is even the case with the finest 

 chemical precipitates, it is hard to conceive how it could have 

 been supposed, that crystalline divisibility ends where our mi- 

 croscopic observations terminate; and that liquids consist of 

 spherical atoms, so that the terms liquid and without form are 

 synonymous ; while the ideas of Matter and of Form are in 

 their nature inseparable. The notion of a liquid being no- 

 thing else than that of an infinite mobility; that is, if we sup- 

 pose that the universal attraction of bodies depends upon cry- 

 stallo-electrical laws, by a liquid will be meant an electric in- 

 difference to all the crystalline differentials. Not only when 

 we suppose the infinite limit of divisibility obtained, which 

 supposition is unnecessary even in the mathematical analysis, 

 the notion of crystalline differentials will disappear. But it is 

 a shallow presumption, when we suppose, with the notion of 



• See vol. v. pp. 49—74; vol. vi. pp. 250, 254; vol. vii. pp. 302— 

 308, and 515; vol. viii. p. 307 ; vol. xi. pp. 54, 330, 435: vol. xiv. pp. 510 

 —516; vol. xxv. pp. 158—173. ll 



a liquid, 



