56 From Matter to A! v\. 



accurate ? For when we note how thoughtlessly it 

 has been instituted, how unquestioningly adopted, how 

 mechanically copied, how apathetically maintained 

 and how singularly misjudged, it would not be sur- 

 prising were its flaws most glaring. But, contrary to 

 expectation, it seems to contain only one doubtful 

 element, hydrogen. This element has been invariably 

 enrolled among the non-metallics, although many 

 chemists surmised it might prove to be a metal, but 

 taking into consideration all the evidence on the point 

 we shall class it as metallic* 



With this alteration, are we warranted in ascribing 

 to this dual classification of substance that importance, 

 both scientifically and philosophically, which we 

 assign it ? The evidence is overwhelmingly affirma- 

 tive, for no known natural product exists which does 

 not contain both classes of these elements in com- 

 bination. Matter itself must thus be sexual. 



It will not for one moment be understood that we 

 imply atoms to be male and female in the same sense 

 as organisms. It is immaterial which class of atoms 

 — metallic or non-metallic — we denominate male or 

 female, for the sexual union or reciprocal combination 

 of one metallic atom with a non-metallic atom would 

 not generate other metallic or non-metallic atoms 

 as children ; because, on the basis of the atomic 

 philosophy — the indestructibility and uncreatability 



* The recent liquifaction of hydrogen by my namesake, Prof. Dewar, 

 seems to show that hydrogen is a non-metallic, but we shall wait for 

 further proof. 



