1871-] Heat, and Force. 93 



the ground can at most, as we find by experience, only lift 

 by its own descent another pound to a metre of height. 

 And again, all experiment tends to show that multiplication 

 of matter is impossible. But it is not proved that skill 

 cannot get more and more mechanical force out of a given 

 amount of chemical change or heat. This I venture to say 

 is a question still at issue. In multiplying an electrical or 

 magnetic or even a caloric power we are creating nothing ; 

 we are simply disturbing or restoring to a greater extent an 

 equilibrium. Whatever amount of electrical, magnetic, or 

 caloric power we get, there is still the same quantity of 

 electricity, magnetism, or heat in the world ; all we do is to 

 disturb an equilibrium ; the more positive electricity we get, 

 the more negative we get, pari passu, and so in magnetism, 

 so in heat ; we cannot get north polarity without getting at 

 the same time south ; nor produce heat without at the same 

 time producing virtually in some shape or other an equivalent 

 of cold. The total amount, reckoning the plus to credit 

 and the minus to debit, remains still the same. In 

 mechanics we are allowed to balance plus motion in one 

 direction against minus motion in an opposite direction ; 

 and the slightest preponderance on one side or another will 

 set in motion an illimitable amount of mass. Why may not 

 the same principle be applied to electrics, magnetics, and 

 calorics ? Cannot skill, mere skill, produce a less or greater 

 disturbance and restoration of equilibrium, and so more or 

 less force ? What an enormous generation of force and 

 disturbance of chemical and calorific equilibrium can we 

 produce by the mere application to a forest of a lucifer 

 match or spark, which having once commenced the motion, 

 this constantly reproduces itself, till in a few hours carbon 

 and hydrogen have all become carbonic acid and water, and 

 a grand disturbance of calorific equilibrium has been produced 

 which takes ages to restore itself, till at last, again, in due 

 time, by the re-growth of the vegetation, carbon, hydrogen, 

 oxygen, caloric have recovered their original state ; and all 

 this grand revolution and restoration of forces — this regular 

 round of chemical activity — has been produced by a lucifer 

 match or spark ? Nothing has been gained or lost ; the heat 

 produced by the combustion has again been^absorbed by the 

 growth of vegetation ; and the carbonic acid, water, and 

 other compounds have again resolved themselves into the 

 shape of wood and leaves. And cannot we by skill, without 

 force, induce more or less of the combined electricities plus 

 and minus, or of the combined heat and cold in matter, so to 

 separate themselves that, by their re-combination, they may 



