T. Lyman on Forces. 185 
Art. XVI.—VForces ; by THEopoRE LyMan. 
always isolated, but are found joined to form, Ist, simple com- 
pounds, known sometimes as minerals; 2d, compounds of a na- 
Which may be seen in the material world. To move these ele- 
ments and their compounds there is a fund of force, constant in 
quantity and in quality; if ever it seems to be less in quantity, 
‘ome of it is latent; if ever it seems different in quality, it is 
t changed in appearance, from being connected with some pe- 
compound. Here is Cosmos at a glance!—there is the 
the mover, a; and these are the elements, the things 
moved, 6, ¢, d, e, &&.—a ma a’ (mechanical force), or a” 
(chemical force), or a’ (vegetable force), &c., but still it remains 
“ may act on b,c, d, e, and there may result such compounds 
a8 be, ceb, dec, &e. “"W joins 6 to ¢, a part of a becomes 
latent, and the result may be called be+a; but, when this com- 
am 1s decomposed by a different form of a (e. g. a” or light) 
*n @ latent is set free, and immediately takes 4 and joins it to 
*, making the higher compound bde, while c is set free as an 
dow’. to give an instance, if d is carbon, ¢ hydrogen, and 
the, ygen, and a’” is vegetable force, then d, c, and d, joined by 
a ton of a’, would be the compound ded, and might be 
a This theory looks simple, but its very roundness is 
us, 
ve human mind, craving something more than mere fact, 
the ed to get at the reason. The fact is the law, the reason is 
late is in the search for the latter that scientific men 
fe that unfortunate word, that shadow of a shadow, 
ae last Tesort of ignorance—Force/ It is safe to say that no 
| instructive and j j - Joseph LeConte, is quoted in no 
Spirit, bet dae peng lee: a siniseophey now very common, 
a) 
eT ete ee 
ession which is sure to mislead ninety-nine readers in every 
SECOND be used in scientific writing. 
SERIES, Vor. XXIX, No. 86.—MARCH, 1860. 
24 
7 on which to build a theory ; if this be the case, it should be remembered 
: form of expr i i 
not 
