54 THOUGHTS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 



breaking up, and grouping again according to their 

 speed, weight, and movement ; and this speed, 

 weight, movement and arrangement gives to sub- 

 stances their distinguishing characteristics. The 

 names we give to the temporary arrangements of 

 matter are merely words. 



The granules of matter, and their accompaniments 

 of speed, weight, movement, and arrangement are 

 sufficient to * account for the universe, and all natural 

 phenomena, which follow as a natural consequence 

 of the existence of those granules and their accompani- 

 ment of speed, weight, movement, and arrangement. 



Chemistry, without the aid of the speed theory, is 

 incomprehensible, as is acknowledged by its leading 

 writers. The following, amongst its other phe- 

 nomena, may be given as illustrations of the difficulty 

 of explanation, apart from the theory. t Phosphorous 

 at the temperature of liquid air, loses its so-called 

 affinity for oxygen, and is without action upon it ; 

 sulphuric acid, which generally acts so markedly on 

 litmus paper, no longer turns it red. High tempera- 

 tures, on the other hand, reveal new combinations 

 non-existent at ordinary temperatures. Nitrogen and 

 carbon, which combine with no other bodies at low 

 temperatures, easily combine with several at 3,000 

 degrees, and form bodies hitherto unknown carbide 

 of calcium for example. Oxygen which generally 

 has no action on the diamond, acquires so energetic 

 an affinity for this body, at a high temperature, that 

 it combines with it and becomes incandescent. 



* From the existence of matter in motion. See Addenda re the X. 

 tLe Bon. 



