68 From Matter to Man. 



If a dual law of magnetism with other co-ordinate 

 forces proves sufficient for the cyclic or complete 

 energy of one element, it is likely to prove equally 

 efficacious for all. The deduction is at least logical, 

 and appeals to to-day knowledge and research. It is 

 extremely unlikely, as it would also be supremely 

 ridiculous and supererogatory — from a human stand- 

 point, because alien to all man's own mechanical 

 expedients — to endow the different elements of matter 

 with two principles when one would suffice. Further, 

 as we are ignorant of any motion in nature so funda- 

 mental as the reciprocal attraction and repulsion of 

 like and unlike matter, coupled with the opposite 

 attraction and repulsion of unlike and like poles, we 

 know of no rival force to magnetism so worthy of 

 being installed as a universal natural law. 



Another important point is the magnetism of the 

 earth. That the earth is a magnet has long been an 

 established scientific fact, but while potentially fruitful 

 to a degree, the deduction has been almost ignored by 

 both science and philosophy. A vital question, for 

 instance, would be — What constitutes the earth's 

 magnetism, or from what or whence does it derive 

 its magnetic force? Obviously, the earth is not a 

 magnet because it is wholly composed of iron, for 

 that metal forms only an infinitesimal fraction of its 

 substance ; hence, the other elements, by occupying 

 the same relation to the earth as iron should also be 

 magnetic. But it is alleged we have next to no 

 evidence of this, while what magnetic force they do 



