Researches in the Theory and Calculus of Operations. 337 



with respect to its generatant, but holds its individual sex- 

 uality with respect to other generators. The notion of the 

 relativeness of postivity and negativity harmonizes with the 

 graduated scale of chemical elements, beginning with the 

 most negative element oxygen, and ending with the most 

 positive element csesciem. The principle of sexuality thus 

 introduces itself as a necessary consequence of the principle 

 of action and reaction, itself again necessary for the produc- 

 tion of any result or event whatever. Masculinity and femi- 

 ninity are special forms educed respectively from the gene- 

 ral form spositivity and negativity, these being here related 

 as cause and effect. A unitary force generates a dichoto- 

 mised result, a positive and negative resultant : each re- 

 sultant, a unitary force in its turn, generates a dichotomised 

 or positive and negative resultant, and this so long as the 

 conditions endure. 



43. In order to pass from the catastrophistical supposi- 

 tion above indulged in, to the more probably natural 

 theory of uniformity, it is necessary to appeal to the gene- 

 ral admission that in the earlier stages of the formation of 

 the earth's crust, while the effective powers of the sun 

 were greater than at a later period, the surface conditions 

 were gradually changing in consequence of the decreasing 

 temperature; which allowed a closer subsidence of the 

 atmospherical and gaseous strata upon the bosom of the 

 earth, there to play their part among the other forces of 

 the heterogeneous medium. While the circumambient me- 

 dia had been hot and thick with carbonical and aqueous 

 elements, cryptogamic vegetation and monstrous reptilian 

 growths enjoyed their flourishing era ; and only after the 

 approach of a clearer and comparatively drier serial medium, 

 such as to permit the influences of currents of wind and in- 

 terrupted showers of rain, of moderate alternating changes 

 of heat and cold, of sonorous vibrations of the air, of daily 

 Trans, vii.'] 43 



