THEORY OF LIGHT. 9 



P2. That the existence of an equilibrium, as to the gradual 

 transition and reversion of matter, to and from the radiant and 

 fixed states, is not less consistent with its INDESTRUCTIBILITY, 

 than that already admitted to exist in the daily formation of 

 water, and the restoration of that body to its original consti- 

 tuents in the gaseous state. 



13. That the health and vigour of vegetative bodies, as 

 well as the colours by which they are adorned, are prin- 

 cipally attributable to the transition of radiant matter to the 

 fixed state. 



14. As the crystalline forms assumed by bodies are go- 

 verned by the number and position of their original consti- 

 tuents, and as no homogeneous body can consistently exhibit 

 such diversity in its atomical arrangement, the assumption of 

 such forms by the metals is one of the many presumptive 

 evidences in support of their compound nature. 



15. That as all bodies, whether of the animal, vegetable, 

 or mineral, kingdom, (as here presumed^) are compounds 

 formed of the same constituents, their peculiar properties and 

 qualities are not to be considered INNATE, but are to be attri- 

 buted in addition to variation in proportion, to a modification 

 of arrangement inducing a POLAR influence, by which their 

 passage to other stages of fixity is facilitated or impeded, and 

 they are rendered applicable to further appropriate changes. 



16. Thus matter is deleterious alone from an arrangement 

 contrary to that consistent with animal organization, and not 

 from qualities or properties peculiar to its constituents. 



17. That when a molecule of light is formed, and occupies 

 its place in a regular line, radiating from an emanating point, 

 from whence light is projected, it assumes a polarity proper 

 to a compound sphere, putting in action but the two poles, 

 the positive and negative, at its vertical and opposite surfaces, 

 while the pole of one of its original elementary atoms, (hy- 

 drogeii), being from local position LATERAL, on being influ- 

 enced by its condensation to assume a density equivalent to 



