TJIE REASON WHY. 131 



But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither nave entered 



into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for 



them that love him." CORINTH. BOOK i., n. 



parts, touching them from day to day with deeper dyes, until the floral 

 picture is complete. Follow it unto the sea, where it gives prismatic tints to 

 the anemone, and imparts the richest colours to the various algae. Think of 

 the millions of pictures that it paints daily upon the eyes of living things. Con- 

 template the people of a vast city when, attracted by some floating toy in the 

 air, a million eyes look up to watch its progress. The sun paints a million 

 images of the same object, and each observer has a perfect picture. It makes 

 common to all mankind the beauties of nature, and paints as richly for the 

 peasant as for the king. The Siamese twins were united by a living cord 

 which joined their systems, and gave unity and sympathy to their sensa- 

 tions. In the great flood of light that daily bathes the world, we have a bond 

 of union, giving the like pleasures and inspirations to millions of people at 

 the same instant. And that which floods the world with beauty, should uo less 

 be a bond of unity and love. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



561. What is electricity ? 



Electricity is a property of force which resides in all matter, and 

 which constantly seeks to establish an equilibrium. 



562. Why is it called electricity ? 



Because it first revealed itself to human observation through a 

 substance called, in the Greek language, electrum. This substance 

 is known to us as amber. 



563. In what way did electrum induce attention to this 

 property of force in matter ? 



Thales, a Greek philosopher, observed that, by briskly rubbing 

 electrum, it acquired the property of attracting light particles o/ 

 matter, which moved towards the amber, and attached themselves 

 to its surface, evidently under the influence of a force excited in the 

 amber. 



564. What is amber? 



It is a resinous substance, hard, bitter, tasteless, and glossy. 

 It has been variously supposed to be a vegetable gum, a fossile, and 

 an animal product. It is probably formed by a species of ant that 

 inhabit pine firests. The bodies of ants are frequently found in 

 its substance. 



