214 SECONDARY PROPERTIES 



in producing, or developing, or altering the character of chemical 

 affinity in itself. Nor has it any influence (unless for destruc- 

 tion) in chemical processes, except in furnishing ' that which 

 is expended in the production of motion,' and thus giving the 

 means of the display of the properties of the elements. Force 

 is the mainspring of the cosmical machine, but not the works. 

 It is in the properties of matter that lie the wonder and mystery 

 of the universe" (p. 189). 



The cardinal point is thus to keep in mind the 

 absolute distinction between force and property. The 

 active forces with which we are familiar are few, are 

 transferable, transformable, and commensurable in all 

 forms, and, in the form of heat, capable of dissipation 

 as far as our world is concerned ; but as they are all 

 merely affections of matter, including the aether, it is 

 of course impossible they can exist per se. On the 

 other hand, the properties of matter, as insisted upon 

 by Newton, are peculiar, inherent, incapable of increase 

 or diminution, or of dissipation, and incommunicable : 

 matter is, therefore, perfectly conceivable as existing 

 without force, but the state of the universe would 

 then be chaos. There seems no room for confusion of 

 the two, so far, but there are also an infinity of 

 secondary, or acquired, states of matter, which are also 

 called properties, and it is in reference to these that 

 constant vigilance is needful, otherwise we fall into the 

 error induced by calling two different things by the 

 same name. These secondary properties are all deve- 

 loped by the union of force with matter, and cannot 

 exist without- force, whereas, as before said, the ulti- 

 mate inherent properties are essential, and quite con- 

 ceivable as void of all force. Among the secondary 



