﻿404 Scientific Intelligence. 



very faint trace of deep red. Euxinite yttria is almost identical 

 with this. Cerite yttria contains most red and citron, less green- 

 ish-blue and blue, only a trace of deep red and no orange." 

 "Hence in some, possibly in all elements, the whole spectrum 

 does not emanate from all its atoms, but different spectral rays 

 may come from different atoms, and in the spectrum as we see it 

 all these partial spectra are present together." The address now 

 proceeds further in the order of elemental evolution. In the 

 undulating curve in the diagram may be seen the action of two 

 forces, one acting in the direction of the vertical line and the 

 other pulsating backwards and forwards like a pendulum. The 

 vertical line may be assumed " to represent temperature slowly 

 sinking through an unknown number of degrees from the disso- 

 ciation point of the first formed element down to the dissociation 

 point of those last shown on the scale. But what form of energy 

 is represented by the oscillating line ? Swinging to and fro like 

 a mighty pendulum to points equidistant from a neutral center ; 

 the divergence from neutrality conferring atomicity of one, two, 

 three and four degrees as the distance from the center is one, two, 

 three or four divisions ; and the approach to or retreat from, the 

 neutral line deciding the electro-negative or electro-positive char- 

 acter of the element — all on the retreating half of the swing 

 being positive and all on the approaching half negative — this 

 oscillating force must be intimately connected with the impond- 

 erable matter, essence or source of energy we call electricity. Let 

 us examine this a little more closely. Let us start at the moment 

 when the first element came into existence. Before this time 

 matter as we know it, was not. It is equally impossible to con- 

 ceive of matter without energy as of energy without matter;, 

 from one point of view the two are convertible terms. Before 

 the birth of atoms all those forms of energy which become evident 

 when matter acts upon matter could, not have existed — they were 

 locked up in Xhz protyle as latent potentialities only. Coincident 

 with the creation of atoms all those attributes and properties 

 which form the means of discriminating one chemical element 

 from another, start into existence fully endowed with energy. 

 The pendulum begins its swing from the electro-positive side ; 

 lithium, next to hydrogen in simplicity of atomic weight, is now 

 formed; then glucinum, boron and carbon. Definite quantities 

 of electricity are bestowed on each element at the moment of 

 birth, on these quantities its atomicity depends and the types of 

 monatomic, diatomic, triatomic and tetratomic elements are fixed. 

 The electro-negative part of the swing now commences, nitrogen 

 appears, and notice how curiously position governs the mean 

 dominant atomicity. Nitrogen occupies the position below 

 boron, a triatomic element, therefore nitrogen is triatomic. But 

 nitrogen also follows carbon, a tetratomic body, and occupies the 

 fifth position counting from the place of origin. How beautifully 

 these opposing tendencies are harmonized by the endowment of 

 nitrogen with at least a double atomicity and making its atom 



