AND ITS SELF-COKSEEVATION. 51 



particles is, we have seen, necessarily drawn, and even nec- 

 essarily draws itself, in opposite directions ; and thus the 

 particle inevitably tends toward its own infinite division. 

 On the other hand, as we have already seen, the repulsion 

 which a particle exerts in opposite directions must have 

 the effect to concentrate such particle upon itself. 



In further consideration of attraction we need hardly 

 do more than mention briefly that, as before, our single 

 series of particles may be conceived a^revolved about the 

 middle one, so as to form a series of concentric circles in 

 the same plane, while these circles may be conceived as 

 having their perimeters made up of actual particles, thus 

 forming circular bands, through which every diameter 

 will present the same conditions as the series we have just 

 considered. Thus at the same time we should have the 

 additional attractions between each particle in each 

 series, and every particle in every other series, with the 

 same results of counteraction and transformation of at- 

 traction into repulsion throughout. And this complica- 

 tion must go on increasing with the increased complexity 

 of grouping of particles, as the circular bands are con- 

 ceived to coalesce into a solid disc, and the disc, by revo- 

 lution on its own diameter, to unfold into a sphere. 



At the same time there should be borne in mind the 

 vastly complex network of attractions and counter-at- 

 tractions, involving the connection of every particle 

 with every other particle throughout the sphere, and the 

 consequent tendency, not, merely toward infinite concen- 

 tration of the total mass upon its own center, but also 

 toward the obverse phase of its expansion, and even of 

 the disruption, not only of the sphere itself, but also of 

 every particle of matter in the entire sphere. 



