104 From Matter to Man. 



free state. This is their primary or fundamental con- 

 dition. All solids may be reduced to the gaseous 

 condition, even as all gases may be solidified. Gases 

 are thus of unparalleled importance as fundamentals, 

 for they are the foundation of universal phenomena. 

 Hence, whatever gases may evolve into, the germ of the 

 evolution, be it mineral, vegetal or animal, may be traced 

 back to the gases. 



Gases are virtually of three kinds : those composed 

 of one element ; those of two or more elements of the 

 same class, that is either metallic or non-metallic ; 

 and those of a mixture of metallic and non-metallic 

 elements, constituting a sexual combination. 



In nature, gases are merely mixed, like oxygen and 

 nitrogen in the atmosphere. Sexual gases are infre- 

 quent, except in the laboratory. Production virtually 

 begins with the sexual union of the elements, hence, 

 when sexual union begins in nature, a liquid or a 

 solid is more apt to be formed than a gas. Thus the 

 all important liquid, water, is a sexual union of oxygen 

 and hydrogen. 



A most important fact for us is the homogeneous- 

 ness of specific gases and specific liquids. This indi- 

 cates that in the relation of the atoms and molecules 

 to each other in gases or liquids, there must be a 

 definite structure of some kind, showing a definite 

 order, and, consequently, inviolable accuracy in these 

 structural arrangements. This further indicates that 

 all atomic properties are exerted with equal inviol- 

 ability in the least as in the greatest production. 



