J. LeConte on the Correlation of Forces. A .. 
fore, truly represented as successive planes raised one above the — 
other, thus: 
No. 4, Animal Kingdom. 
3, Vegetable Kingdom. 
2, ae oe 
1, Blem 
If then it be admitted one poe is the sonnet A gti of these 
lanes—that it requires a greater and grea nditure of 
orce to maintain matter upon each wikicledepe ? ane, then it 
follows that any amount of matter returning to a lower gon 3 
decomposition must set Sree or develop a force which yin | under 
favorable circumstances raise other matter from a lower 
condition. Or to express it by a ce eae a ilstration, a given 
amount of matter falling from one plane to any plane below, 
develops a force sufficient to raise an equal quantity of matter 
an equal height. Thus decomposition must in every case ree 7 
Jorce, which force may take the form of heat as in combustio 
or electricity as in electrolysis, or may expend itself in sbiitieg 
c min compounds or even in organizing matter. 
In the same manner as matter may be arranged in 
several distinct and Saga kingdoms, so it seems to me the 
forces of nature may also be properly divided into distinct 
Beit arranged in a similar manner one ae the other. These 
are the physical, the chemical and the vi tal forces. And as in the 
case of ce so also in the case of ‘pre’ ep eine. to pass 
into vital force seems im ible tout passing through the 
intermediate condition of chemical 
These are the simple principles upon which are based all that 
ollows—principles which may possibly seem fanciful to some 
unfamiliar with the principle of Soller RiGh of force, but the 
number of phenomena which the irae explain will I 
ope entitle them to serious thou 
pS It is well known that chonieat ee in what is called 
the ‘nascent condition” i.e , at the moment of liberation from 
afinity not exhibited under other cc cruipande Tt seems to 
me that this is scliehy explicable on the baie ated conserva 
ecom 
eBnity whi ee At the moment of a 
which bound the elements er and 
fore Te satisfied, is suddenly left unsatisfied. “here i an attraction 
set free whic ch was before di liberated 
