157 



which is the laboratory of solar oxygen. We have seert 

 too that barometrical maximums and minimums, thunder 

 and lightning and rain are also products of the rising 

 aud falling and heating and cooling of this same azote. 

 Still further we have seen that the cosmic language of 

 light is the result of friction against the surface of azote. 

 And now we see that azote presses on the earth with a 

 force of 16 Ib. to the square inch, a force which is suf- 

 ficient to preserve the earth intact without the aid of any 

 centripetal gravitation. 



I look upon our earth as a vital organism and conse- 

 quently look for the analogy to her vital functions in 

 those of the vital organisms around. 



Every living being has a bodily form adapted to en- 

 vironment; organs of movement, of nourishment of sight 

 or sensation, of circulation, and an external covering, 

 skin or scales or slime; but no inherent centripetal force 

 is to be remarked in any living organism, large or small, 

 with which I am familiar. Cut or tear the skin of any 

 animal and you will see that the blood and lymph 

 and entrails pour out and manifest no tendency to re- 

 turn: and only the pressure of azote restrains the flood 

 which if not checked continues till the creature dies. 



The same can be said about our earth. Volcanic 

 eruptions, breaking through terrestrial centripetal force 

 should fly out into space beyond our atmosphere; but 

 instead of this the lava torrents fall back upon the earth, 

 pressed down again by the force of nitrogen, and oxy- 

 gen completes the work by forming them into soil. In 

 this case therefore azote preserves the earth from loss 

 and change. With such a force as skin or envelope na 

 centripetal gravitation is required; and if it existed the 

 movements of living creatures on the earth's surface 

 would be, if not impossible, attended at any rate with 

 the greatest difficulties. 



Azote, being a as, presses on all sides equally and 

 therefore movement in it as in a fluid of great rarity, 



