Researches in the Theory and Calculus of Operations. 233 



circumference towards the centre of the nebulous mass; 

 throwing off heat outwards to dissipate itself in zero in 

 vacant space, and inwardly to accumulate in increasing 

 intensity at the centre of the system. Condensation finally 

 produces incandescence of the central bodies, and this in- 

 candescence initiates and maintains chemical combination 

 or combustion of the surrounding and arriving elementary 

 substances. At an epoch immensely removed in the past, 

 condensation towards the centre of the earth produced the 

 incandescence of its surface, the heating activity of which 

 converted the metallic elements silex, calx, argillum,ferrum, 

 etc. into the neutral compounds sand, lime, clay, ore, etc. 

 by oxidation or chemical combination (combustion), and 

 thus we live upon the ashes of a former world ; well that 

 at a distance of forty miles beneath us we meet a spherical 

 stratum with a persistent incandescent temperature. The 

 like process is evidently going on at the surface of the sun's 

 body, the incandescent state of which was produced by 

 condensation, and now continues to convert all arriving 

 substances into flame (Mayer), and will continue so to do 

 until the surface of the incandescent body is thickly covered 

 with ashes like the coatings of the planetary bodies. 



3. When two solid bodies A and B (fig. 2') are pressed 

 together, the resultant of the forces cA' and c'B' is equal 

 to their difference, and null when the forces are equal ; while, 

 on the other hand, the resultant of the forces cA and c'B 

 is equal to their sum, and holds the two bodies together for 

 an instant even after the dismissal of the pressure ; but then 

 the resuscitating forces of A and B instantaneously renew 

 the primitive state of equilibrium. 



If, however, one (or both) of the bodies be liquid (fig. 2'), 

 a portion A'B' of the opposing forces cA' and c'B' is de- 

 stroyed; while the contrary forces cA and c'B, which were 

 equilibrated respectively by cA' and c'B 7 (now partially 

 destroyed) act freely, the former to pull B towards A, the 

 latter to pull A towards B : consequently a process of uniting 



Trans. vii.~\ 30 



