GRAVISTATIC HEAT 325 



terials that had attained a condition of stable compact- 

 ness, the process of the generation of heat would contin- 

 uously go on forever. In my conception, hotness is the 

 natural state of matter when under extreme pressure. 

 Compression is neither more nor less than perpetual im- 

 pact. Let me make this matter certain: 



If a pound-weight were to alight on your toes by fall- 

 ing from a height of six feet or so, it would cause you a 

 moment of sharp agony; but supposing no bones to be 

 fractured, the pain would be soon over. Suppose, again, 

 that you were to allow the weight to drop from precisely 

 the same height as before, but this time on the pan of a 

 spring balance (you noting at the same moment the force 

 of the impact as registered on the scale) and that you 

 should then procure a boulder of this greater weight and 

 merely rest it on your toes would you not suffer in this 

 case, not merely for a passing instant, but for as long as 

 the boulder remained in position? Most certainly ! But 

 the Conservationists, were they to argue consistently 

 with their pet dogma, should say that the boulder would 

 pain you only in its first placement, when it was yet in 

 motion ; but that afterward, when it had become motion- 

 less, it could not hurt any longer, because then it would 

 have no velocity and consequently possess no energy, 

 whether for paining or for generating heat ! 



Now, while it is quite true that matter does not sense 

 pain as humans do, yet it ( or its molecules) experiences 

 in a state of compression certain irritations analogous to 

 pain, just as it does when struck a blow. Compression, 

 by forcing the molecules closer together, excites them to 

 reaction, multiplies their collisions, and produces the con- 

 dition we call heat. Though our mountain may no longer 

 be sinking, yet as long as it remains superposed on its 

 shelf, its basal strata will endure constant strain and de- 

 velope a perennial supply of warmth, which, despite the 

 natural cooling of the surface, will maintain the average 

 temperature of the mass above that of its surroundings 

 until the end of time. To some minds long accustomed 

 to think otherwise, this statement may sound paradox- 



