A HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



would by the equality of their attraction be at rest 

 and be forever unmoved. 



" But nature has other forces in store which are 

 specially exerted when matter is decomposed into fine 

 particles. They are those forces by which these par- 

 ticles repel one another, and which, by their conflict 

 with attractions, bring forth that movement which is, 

 as it were, the lasting life of nature. This force of re- 

 pulsion is manifested in the elasticity of vapors, the 

 effluences of strong-smelling bodies, and the diffusion 

 of all spirituous matters. This force is an uncon test- 

 able phenomenon of matter. It is by it that the ele- 

 ments, which may be falling to the point attracting 

 them, are turned sideways promiscuously from their 

 movement in a straight line; and their perpendicular 

 fall thereby issues in circular movements, which en- 

 compass the centre towards which they were falling. 

 In order to make the formation of the world more dis- 

 tinctly conceivable, we will limit our view by withdraw- 

 ing it from the infinite universe of nature and directing 

 it to a particular system, as the one which belongs to 

 our sun. Having considered the generation of this 

 system, we shall be able to advance to a similar con- 

 sideration of the origin of the great world-systems, and 

 thus to embrace the infinitude of the whole creation in 

 one conception. 



" From what has been said, it will appear that if a 

 point is situated in a very large space where the at- 

 traction of the elements there situated acts more strong- 

 ly than elsewhere, then the matter of the elementary 

 particles scattered throughout the whole region will fall 

 to that point. The first effect of this general fall is 



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