170 ONTOLOGY. 



than as expanded into entire rocky masses, as e. g. in the 

 clay-slate and as carbonic-acid in lime. 



822. The coal was, during the earth-formation, sepa- 

 rated from the sea, yet not, or only rarely, by itself, but 

 along with other masses of earth, while the sulphur 

 rather accompanies the metals. Coal passes over into the 

 earths, the sulphur into the metals. 



823. The volatilized earth or coal, i. e. the earth that 

 has ascended through water or salt unto air, is associated 

 with a higher kingdom, and that indeed the general mass 

 of the vegetable kingdom, as is the case in the pit-coals, 

 which are reversions of plants. 



824. As the earths and metals extend into pit-coals, 

 so does sulphur lose itself in idioelectric, inflammable sub- 

 stances, which are likewise reversions of a sulphur that 

 has escaped into a higher kingdom. Here belong the 

 amber, mineral resins and naphthas. 



825. There are thus two ways, by which the reduced 

 earthy seeks to mount aloft ; by the carbon, as belonging 

 to the more inert earth ; and the Resinous, as belonging 

 to the more active air. The vegetable kingdom has its 

 root in the simple earths, especially the hydroid argil- 

 laceous earths ; the animal kingdom in the divided 

 calcareous earths. 



826. Sulphur is yellow, because it is the earthy that 

 has come to light, the carbon is black, because it is sul- 

 phur volatilized, moistened in the gloom or darkness of 

 the earth. 



D. SALTS. 



Salt-periods. 



827. So long as the basis of the acid is an earthy, such 

 as carbon or sulphur in the carbonic and sulphuric acids, 

 does the earthy also obtain the preponderance, and the 

 lime as well as the gypsum or sulphate of lime are preci- 

 pitated as insoluble bodies. 



828. It is only through the influence of light con- 



