174 RATIONALE OF COHESION. 



repulsive agent an ethereal bond of cohesion, 

 the force of which varies according to the relative 

 proportions of caloric and ponderable matter. 

 Every alteration in these proportions produces a 

 change in the physical, chemical, and even vital 

 properties of all bodies. 



That the force with ivhich caloric combines 

 with, and is concentrated around the particles of 

 ponderable matter, augments in proportion as they 

 are deprived of it, may be regarded as a funda- 

 mental axiom, derived from the general experience 

 of mankind ; and is founded on a law of nature 

 which connects all the phenomena of molecular 

 attractions with the theory of latent caloric. 

 Without the recognition of this important truth, 

 it is impossible to comprehend the most familiar 

 phenomena of every day life : why, for example, 

 the atmosphere abstracts from animal bodies 

 their vital heat, with a rapidity proportional to 

 the reduction of its temperature ; or why caloric 

 is rendered a latent constituent of all matter. 

 The attraction of ice for caloric exceeds that of 

 water, because it contains less of it than water ; 

 the consequence of which is, that the particles 

 of water are drawn closer together, and main- 

 tained in the solid form with a corresponding 

 force of cohesion. If it be objected that water 

 expands during congelation, it may be answered 

 that its particles are arranged in series, forming 

 angles of 60 and 120, making large pores or 



