THE LAWS OF LIFE. 255 



water passes upwards either in one or many curves, 

 and frequently in a spiral, closely resembling the 

 form of a corkscrew. 



So, also, a ball of moderate specific gravity, sink- 

 ing in water, falls, not in a straight line, but in one 

 or many curves, diverging more or less in proportion 

 to the Uifference of density between itself and the 

 medium through which it sinks. The curve de- 

 scribed by the falling body represents the composition 

 of two motions namely, a downward movement 

 turned at right angles, and a continuous gravitating 

 movement. 



That the motion of a body gravitating through a 

 resisting medium will be turned at right angles, 

 becomes obvious, when it is considered that the 

 portion of the medium between the gravitating body 

 and the point of attraction, is the densest and most 

 resisting portion, both from the influence of the 

 attracting mass upon the medium itself and from 

 the pressure of the gravitating body. 



There is one simple application of these princi- 

 ples, which I mention on account ef its value as 

 an illustration of the conception of life. 



