64 Chemical Affinities. 



OF CHEMICAL AFFINITIES. 



Form and unequal susceptibilities to two permeating 

 fluids would appear to give all that is essential in determin- 

 ing special affinities chiefly known as chemicals. But here 

 a source of great confusion arises namely, how is matter 

 usually conditioned. 



There is the old attraction of aggregation, and chemical 

 affinities ; in other words, there are two forms of affinity or 

 attraction, mutually opposed to each other. 



First, of aggregation. This is an affinity of like for like, as 

 the various constituent elements forming felspar or mica, 

 dolomite, and carbonate of lime. None of these are simple 

 elements, but they may be counted as synatoms or mole- 

 cules of like elemental constituents, and as such they have 

 mutual attractions which bind molecule to molecule. 



So in the organic world the same thing exists in a very 

 complex order, as the spiral tissue, pith, and true woody 

 fibre of trees and plants each manifests an elective aggre- 

 gation of like for like, just as in muscle the alternate 

 structure is one form of like for like, and the external sheath 

 is another form of the self-same order of attraction. Gold 

 and iron, lead and silver, whilst pure and simple, have the 

 same form of attraction set forth in its most defined form of 

 like to like, or similar attraction. 



This form of attraction is common to all great masses of 

 matter, and metals after subjection to very high tempera- 

 ture; also to masses of matter which have been subjected 

 to great pressure. In other words, it is a form of attraction 

 that is the most abiding, and found in all great masses of 

 solid substances scattered over the face of the earth. 



So great is the tendency in Nature to similarity of attrac- 

 tion, that when large mounds of rubbish are made by 

 successive additions and have stood for long, the several 



