180 BIOLOGY. 



air, and thus originates a chemical power or chemism, 

 influenced by the air. 



873. The chemism, when influenced by air, is one of 



I a perpetual character ; for this power dies only because 

 the tension of its two elements is balanced or equalized ; 

 the influence of the air is, however, none other than the 



\ constant renewal of the tension. 



j 874. Now, the process of tension in the air is electrism 

 y i or that action in which the two poles being devoid of 



indifference range opposite to each other, can therefore 

 never unite, and the end attained by which is oxydatiorx. 

 The new process is consequently a chemical power con- 

 stantly excited by electrism it is an electro-chemism. 

 (Ed. 1st, 1810.) This composite process is known under 

 the name of Galvanism. 



875. Hereby the galvanism has been most rigorously 

 and characteristically separated from the chemism, and the 

 succession of stages been exactly indicated. By the 

 accession of a single but higher nature-factor, namely, the 

 air, chemism advances one and only one stage higher. 

 We have consequently made no leap or abrupt transi- 



ion in tracing out our genesis of nature. Magnetism is 

 e uni-elementary, chemism the bin-elementary, galvanism 

 e tri-elementary process of the planet, in so far as it is 

 upied with its own evolution, or that of the Solid. 



876. Considered in relation to the result and also the 

 internal nature of the process, galvanism is in no wise 

 different from chemism, but only in reference to the 

 continuance of the tension. The fluid and solid are in 

 kth ^ e co ~ e( l ua l niedia or means ; the decompositions, 

 separations and combinations also, are alike in both. 



^ The air has no other office than to sustain the opposition, 

 which in chemism proceeds through the difference of the 

 two unipolar elements, acid and alkali. 



877. The air maintains this animosity of the elements 

 only by oxydation, and so far takes part in the contest 

 like a fellow-combatant ; yet this invariably happens 

 only, while the water is preserved by these means in its 

 primary condition, that of the acid. The air breathes life 



