Chap. VIII.] GRAVITATION AND INEKTION. 97 



be brought iijto play throughout it, then motion is 

 necessitated ; for evanescence imphes a motion of 

 the evanescing particles, and gravitation, tending to 

 cause contraction, necessitates a motion of the re- 

 maining particles : and since contraction is a neces- 

 sary consequence of evanescence, having effect wher- 

 ever evanescence occurs, it must act towards every 

 point from which evanescence acts, and thus divide 

 the universe into separate masses ; and the motion 

 resulting from this contraction must be more or less 

 circular, because the position of every particle is 

 determined by gravitation, and every division of the 

 universe must therefore preserve its relative position 

 as regards the aggregate of the other divisions of the 

 universe, which necessitates a motion of rotation in 

 each division ; and the particles rotating must all 

 move harmoniously, because the force of attraction 

 acting from all sides prevents the movement of any 

 one particle unless there be an harmonious movement 

 of some other particle or particles, so as to preserve 

 the balance of gravitation. 



Even under its most limited signification the 

 force of evanescence, which vis-inertite is, by the act 

 of gravitation, constantly opposing, comprehends the 

 detailed action of the laws which control matter ; 

 and the evolution of life upon the earth is therefore 

 the action of evanescence, which causes it to rotate. 

 And if accepted in its widest sense, it is then to be 

 inferred that matter has not always existed, and that 



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