7O Chemical Affinities. 



moving at a great rate from diurnal axoidal motion, inde- 

 pendent of other incidental motions. Again, the candle that 

 burns has its matter in most contrasting motion. The stearine 

 that is still an eighth of an inch below the flame is in gentle 

 motion just at the line of junction with the wick, but when it 

 reaches the lighted wick by capillary attraction, it is in much 

 greater motion ; but this is comparatively slow motion com- 

 pared with the new compounds of carbon and hydrogen formed 

 by heating the hydro-carbon, as well as much of the 

 volatilized hydro-carbon decomposed. The caloric set free 

 by these rapid changes in chemical compounds is, in a great 

 measure, re-applied to increase the amount of space inter- 

 vening between each atom of matter, and by such re- 

 application is spent, in a measure, by securing greater 

 repellent action, which ceases to be manifest at the point 

 where the flame ceases. 



The rapidity of motion, and the freedom, by increase of 

 space, which each atom has whilst revolving on its own axis, 

 especially if there be many different ultimate forms of atoms, 

 will gender undulations of a minute character, and adapted 

 for impressing the retina. Here the condition under which 

 matter of a given composition is placed results in a uniform 

 and fixed series of changes, and so would continue ad 

 infinitum if similarly conditioned; but the ability to secure 

 such results centres itself in the law of Precursion. 



A tree brings forth its fruit say, an apple-tree. The pip 

 is beautifully entombed in its sarcocarp and epicarp ; then 

 comes the germ within the pip. This gorgeous encasing 

 coffin, placed under the spacious vault of heaven, rots and 

 liberates the pip, softened and swollen from moisture and 

 heat ; and the rain, or the tread of some bird or animal, aids 

 in finding it a cover in Mother Earth. Here it bides the 

 frost and snow of winter, and spring comes then heat. 

 Whence this heat ? Is it caloric foreign to that gendered 



