Primary Laws. 77 



tion between particles of matter; hence it cannot 

 possibly account for phenomena involving discriminate 

 attraction. Every atom may truly possess an attrac- 

 tion for some other atom not of its own kind or class 

 — as when chlorine and sodium cleave together and 

 become salt — but this introduces another law into 

 the field, an atomic sexual law with more complex 

 functions, which we shall presently consider. 



The main point at issue now is, that like atoms 

 manifest an indubitably greater attraction for each 

 other than for unlike atoms of their own class — that 

 is, either metallic or non-metallic. For instance, 

 oxygen atoms evince a greater attraction for oxygen 

 than for carbon, nitrogen, or any other non-metallic 

 element. 



Like-material-attraction may thus be styled the 

 most elementary phase of energy or motion. It is 

 simple attraction, a mere kissing of like substance. 

 It is not production, but the initiatory stage of it. 

 It is courtship, not marriage. Marriage would involve 

 production, and hence include the transformation of 

 the sand into the sandstone, and of the molecules of 

 salt into visible crystals. In atomic and molecular 

 affinity, only that great material love is displayed 

 which fascinates and draws the atoms and molecules 

 of salt or sand to one another in order to execute 

 the next fiat of phenomenal evolution. 



A phenomenon, production, or organism is the 

 completed result of combined natural laws ; but like- 

 material-attraction, as a solitary agent, only lands 



