93 THE FORMS OF WATER 



cloud appears as changeless as tfee mountain duced in calm air, the icy particles build 

 to which it seems to cling. When the red themselves into beautiful stellar shapes, inch 

 sun of the evening shines upon these cloud- star possessing six rays. There is no rievia- 

 Rtreamers they resemble vast torches with tion from this type, though in other respects 

 their flames blown through the air. the appearances of the snow stars are inli- 



9. A RCniTECTUItE OF SttOW. 



8;>. We now resemble persons who have by, who gave numerous drawings of them. 

 climbed a difficult peak, and thereby earned I have observed them in midwinter tilling the 

 the enjoyment of a wide prospect, Having air, and loading the slopes of the Alps. Bi?t 

 made ourselves masters bf the conditions in England they are also to be seen, and no 

 necessary to the production if mountain words of mine could convey so vivid an im- 

 snow, we are able to take a comprehensive pression of their beauty as the annexed cTraw- 

 and intelligent view of the phenomena of ings of a few of them, executed at Green- 

 glaciers. wich by Mr. Glaisher. 



80. A few words are still necessary as to 90. It is worth pausing to think what won- 

 the formation of snow. The molecules and derful woik is going on in the atmosphere 

 atoms of ail substances, when allowed free during the formation and descent of every 

 play, build themselves into definite and, for snow-shower : what building power is 

 the most pait, "beautiful forms called ens- brought into play ! and how imperfect seem 

 tals. Iivm. copper, gold, silver, lead, sulphur, the productions of human minds and hands 

 when melted and permitted to cool gradually, when compared with those formed by Die 

 all show this crystallizing power. The metal blind forces of nature ! 



bismuth shows* it in a particularly stiiking 01. But who ventures to call the forces of 

 manner, and when properly fused and solidi- nature blind? In reality, when we spi-ak 

 iie.'l, self-built crystals of great size and thus we are describing our own condition. 

 beauty are formed of this metal. The blindness is curs ; and what we really 



87. If you dissolve saltpetre in water, and ought to say, and to confess, is that our 

 lhw the solution to evaporate slowly, you powers are absolutely unable to comprehend 

 :nay obtain large crystals, for no portion of cither the origin or the end of the operations 

 the salt is converted into vapor. The water of nature. 



of our atmosphere is fresh, though it is de- $2- But while we thus acknowledge ou 

 lived from the salt sea. Sugar dissolved in limits, there is also reason for wonder at the 

 water, and pei milled to evaporate, yields extent to which science has mastered the 

 crystals of sugar candy. Alum leadily crys- system of nature. From age to age, and 

 tallizes in the same way. Flints dissolved, from generation to generation, fact has bed! 

 as they sometimes are in nature, and permit- added to fact, and law to law, the irue inctb- 

 led to crystallize, yield the prisms and pyra- od and order of the Universe being thereb/ 

 mids of rock crystal. Chalk dissolved *and more and more revealed. In doing this i-ci- 

 crystallized yields Iceland spar. The dia- <nc:e has encountered and overthrown vaiir,us 

 mond is crystallized carbon. All our pre forms of superstition and deceit, of credulity 

 clous stones, the ruby, sapphire, beryl, topaz and imposture. But the world continually 

 emerald, are all examples of this crystallizing produces weak persons and wicked persons; 

 power. and as long as they continue to exist side by 



88. You have heard of the force of gravi- feicje > as th ^7 do in this our day, very deh. 

 tation; and you know that it consists of an ing beliefs will also continue to infest the 

 attraction of every particle of matter for world. 



every other particle. You know that plan- 



ets and moons are held in their orbits by this 10 - ATOMIC POLES. 



attraction. But gravitation is a very simple 93. " What did I mean when, a few nv;, 

 affair compared to the force, or rather forces, ments ago (88), 1 spoke of attracting and re- 

 of crystallization. For litre ihe ultima!- pcllent poles?" Let ine try to answer tl, 5* 

 particles of matter, inr onceivably small as question. You know that astronomers ami 

 they arc, show themselves possessed of at- geographers speak of the earth's poles, an I 

 tractive and rcpelleu poles, by the mulual you have also heard of magnetic poles, tlx.> 

 Action of which the shape and structuie ol poles of a magnet being the points at whi< h 

 the crystal are determined. In the soiid con- the attraction and repulsion of the magm I 

 dition the attracting poles are rigidly locked are as it v/ere concentrated. 

 together ; but if sufficient heat be apolied the 9-J- Every magnet possesses two such 

 b-uid of union is dissolved, and in the slate poles ; and if iron tilings be scattered over * 

 of fusion the poles arc pushed so far asunder magm-t, ear-h particle becomes alo endowed 

 as to be practically out of each other's range, with two poles. Suppose such particles de- 

 The natural tendency of the molecules to v >d of weight and floating in our atmos- 

 bui'ld themselves together is thus neutralized, phere, what must occur when they come 



89. This is the case with water, which as a near <-ac!i other? Manifestly the repellent 

 liquid is to all appearance formless. When poles will retreat from each other, while thy 

 sutliciently cooled the molecules are brought attractive poles will approach and finally lock 

 within the play of the crystallizing force, themselves together. AIM! supposing the 

 and they tbcp -'nnrre themselves in forms of particles, instead of a single pair, to possess 

 ir/'-escribabte i,**. When snow is pio- several pairs of poles arranged at definitj 



