32 WHAT IS LIFE? 



to atom is the foundation of the science of chemistry, 

 and therefore the root of all Natural phenomena. 



Simple as the idea is, even with a few species of 

 matter (and there are believed to be known about 

 severity of these species discovered by the chemist, but 

 there is probably an enormous number of species), the 

 variation of combinations of this order is of course, to 

 our minds, infinite. Thus : 



1. Two or more atoms combine to form one molecule. 



2. One molecule of two atoms combines with one 

 molecule of two atoms, to form one molecule of three 

 atoms, with the setting free or elimination of one atom. 



3. One molecule of two atoms, combines with one 

 molecule of three atoms, to form perhaps one molecule 

 of five atoms, or perhaps to form one molecule of four 

 atoms, with the setting free or elimination of one atom. 



4. One molecule of three atoms combines with one 

 molecule of four atoms, to form one molecule of seven 

 atoms, or perhaps one molecule of five atoms, and one 

 molecule of two atoms, or perhaps one molecule of six 

 atoms, and one atom is let free. 



And this order of combinations or groupings, and 

 re-combinations or re-groupings, is the fundamental 

 order in Nature as proved by the Science of Chemistry, 

 infinite in its variety, eternal in its processes, and this 

 is the order of things which surrounds us nay, still 

 more, the fundamental order of things by which we 

 exist and have our being. 



But we must notice one thing. The order of group- 

 ing is arithmetical and rigid. Nature has no other 

 rigidity. This is the point to recollect. The con- 

 ception that there are other rigid factors in nature is 

 the error in the Science of Physics. 



