Mr. Whelpley on the Idea of an Atom. 363 



the atom. But the presence of another atom disturbs this equi- 

 Hbrinm, by causing a feeble development of the two forces in 

 p and n. If more of one kind is developed at p, an equal force 

 of the other must be developed at n, to sustain the equilibrium. 

 But, even in liquids and gases, the axes of relation are in cer- 

 tain lines which pass through the nuclei of several atoms, and 

 form series of positive and negative poles, (like lines of magnets,) 

 as may be surmised from the phenomena of electric excitation. 

 A nucleus between two others presents a positive pole to one, 

 and a negative pole to the other, and a great number of liquid or 

 gaseous nuclei in an independent mass, must take a spherical 

 shape. In a mass of spheroidal nuclei each individual will be 

 touched by those about it at six different points, which are the 

 extremities of three axes, answering to the three dimensions of 

 space. 



Now, as it happens, that when a number of gaseous atoms 

 approach to a certain nearness, their attraction changes to repul- 

 sion, — so, when their centres are brought still nearer by the 

 'cooling' or diminution of the nuclei, their attractior)s are devel- 

 oped in a different manner. The two forces which, in the 

 gaseous and liquid nuclei, strove to develope themselves equally 

 in the whole of the nucleus, suddenly concentrate themselves in 

 the three axes of solidity, and the atoms become^.re^ in geomet- 

 rical figures ; in other words, they crystallize. It was assumed, 

 that the gravitant attraction should have a certain iiitensity, which 

 should be characteristic of the atom ; and it is equally necessary 

 to be assumed, that when the nuclei are reduced to a certain 

 nearness, their mutual effect will be the development of (C) in 

 three distinct axes, forming the three dimensions of a crystal. 

 That this mode of development is a specific property of each 

 atom, is proved by the fact, that crystals of the same substance 

 have always the same form. This form, will vary according to 

 the lengths of the crystallogenic axes ; for, if temperature is the 

 diameter of the nucleus, we may imagine a law by which the 

 temperature is divided among the axes so that they shall have 

 different lengths ; the shorter will be those of intensest cohe- 

 sion — the longer will be the feebler, and therefore at right 

 angles to " planes of cleavage." That a certain necessary rela- 

 tion will exist between the form of an atom (i. e. the relative 



