Prof. LeConte on the Correlation of Forces. 135 
after matter is raised from the elementary to the mineral con- 
dition, it requires an additional force of another and peculiar 
kind to raise it into the vegetable kingdom, and again another 
accession of force to raise it into the animal kingdom. These 
kingdoms are therefore truly represented as successive planes 
raised one above the other, thus: 
No. 4, Animal kingdom. 
3. Vegetable kingdom. 
2. Mineral kingdom. 
1. Elements. 
If, then, it be admitted that this is the relative position of 
these planes—that it requires a greater and greater expenditure 
of force to maintain matter upon each successive plane, then it 
follows that any amount of matter returning to a lower plane by 
decomposition must set free or develope a force which may, under 
favourable circumstances, raise other matter from a lower to a higher 
condition, Or to express it by a mechanical illustration, a given 
amount of matter falling from one plane to any plane below, 
developes a force sufficient to raise an equal quantity of matter 
an equal height. Thus decomposition must in every case deve- 
lope force, which force may take the form of heat as in combus- 
tion, or electricity as in electrolysis, or may expend itself in 
forming chemical compounds, or even in organizing matter. 
Again, in the same manner as matter may be arranged in 
several distinct and graduated kingdoms, so it seems to me the 
forces of nature may also be properly divided into distinct 
groups arranged in a similar manner one above the other, These 
are the physical, the chemical, and the vital forces. And as in 
the case of matter, so also in the case of force, it is impossible to 
pass directly from the lowest to the highest group without pass- 
ing through the intermediate group. The conversion of physical 
into vital force seems impossible without passing through the 
intermediate condition of chemical force. 
These are the simple principles upon which are based all that 
follows,—principles which may possibly seem fanciful to some 
unfamiliar with the principle of conservation of force ; but the 
number of phznomena which they consistently explain will, I 
hope, entitle them to serious thought. 
Ist. It is well known that chemical elements, in what is called 
the “nascent condition,” 7. e. at the moment of liberation from 
previous combination, exhibit a peculiar energy of chemical 
affinity not exhibited under other circumstances. It seems to 
me that this is readily explicable on the principle of conserva- 
tion of force. At the moment of decomposition the chemical 
affinity which bound the elements together and which was be- 
