EXTENSIVE AGENCY OF CALORIC. 217 



arriving at the proximate physical cause of che- 

 mical action, would be a careful history of all 

 the circumstances which accompany the gene- 

 ration and dissolution of compound bodies 

 that is, to " observe what is added, what remains, 

 and iv hat is separated, what commands, and ivhat 

 gives the motion,'" as recommended by Bacon. 



It is obviously impossible to make any im- 

 portant progress in the science of nature, with- 

 out ascertaining the cause of motion. But I 

 have already demonstrated that the particles of 

 ponderable matter, per se, have no inherent 

 powers of motion a doctrine which was clearly 

 admitted by Sir Isaac Newton consequently, 

 that all attempts to explain the phenomena of 

 expansion and contraction by the innate forces 

 of atoms must be given up as hypothetical and 

 untenable. 



I have also proved, that cohesion and the 

 chemical union of atoms do not result from the 

 external pressure of an aBther, as supposed by 

 Newton ; but from the mutual attraction of aethe- 

 real and ponderable matter that the particles 

 of gross matter are surrounded by an active and 

 igneous fluid, which holds them together, or 

 repels them asunder, according as it pervades 

 them in greater or less proportions without 

 which there could be no expansions and con- 

 tractions of the atmosphere, therefore no winds 

 no evaporation and condensation, conse- 



