Vital Physics. 63 



Why, again, are one or two elements so intermeddling 

 with so many others as oxygen and chlorine, whilst others 

 attract a neighbour to them with difficulty, as nitrogen 

 directly with any of the ancient metals? 



Not surely because it has no affinity for other elements ; 

 else what becomes of our cyanides and nitrates, etc. ? Their 

 presence speaks for itself, but if form aids in adaptation and 

 close impaction, then the matter is clear enough, and no 

 one can doubt this, if oxygen is carefully weighed with other 

 elements. Its form adapts it for general intrusion, and with 

 many very close impactions, and so attractive influence is 

 aided by mere fitness, and such elements as nitrogen and 

 chlorine have specific forms that, upon the whole, badly 

 adapted themselves to other elements when brought into 

 close contact. 



Thus, if the primitive form of oxygen is that of a solid 

 scalene triangle, it is but few forms with which it cannot 

 edge itself in some way or other ; but if chlorine be a solid 

 equilateral triangle it is few forms with which it can 

 well fit ; but it would be much worse if nitrogen were an 

 unequal ovoid as an egg, as for any real closeness of compact 

 it would be almost, if not entirely, impossible even a solid 

 cube would be much more adaptable. Hence, in seeking 

 to explain hardness, softness, and feebleness of attraction 

 between elements, form appears to hold a certain and im- 

 portant position.* 



* Since this was written, Professor Tyndall and many others have 

 directed their attention to the ultimate forms of atoms, but as they do 

 not in any wise change any leading point, the original description has 

 been retained. 



