95 



bable errors which will occur in this mental process ? 

 These are grave and essential objections, and we shall 

 see how the author has succeeded in the practical evasion 

 of them. 



In addition to the pair of antagonist forces already de- 

 scribed, and which he declares to be fully adequate to form 

 substantial matter, our author assumes two other activities 

 acting divellently from the same point, which he calls a 

 diremptive force. He says, " they are necessary to form 



such matter as the universe needs for the rational ends as- 

 signed for it." We suppose the fact to be, that the universe 

 was not so much in need of these diremptive forces as Dr. 

 Hickok's system. He found that his first conception would 

 not explain certain stubborn facts, and so laid in this addi- 

 tional pair of activities to be ready for the emergency. 

 They are convenient, take up no room and just balance each 

 . other, and so at least can do no harm. 



Thus equipped with first principles, our author goes for- 

 ward to explain the origination of matter, and its mode of 

 impressing the senses. He argues, that " if matter were 

 wholly inert, it would be utterly inexplicable how it should 

 affect any sense. But when we conceive of substantial 

 matter itself as a force, filling certain places in space, we 

 may readily apprehend, &c." But we might say in reply, 

 if this force is supposed to be in equilibrium (as it must be 

 supposed to be, otherwise it would cause motion), how hap- 

 pens it that it has any surplus energy to resist touch or any 

 of the senses ? Why do not these activities which just 

 counterbalance each other, yield to the least application of 

 external force, and thus give no evidence of their exist- 

 ence to the senses ? 



Immediately following this discussion of matter at rest, 

 follows that of the laws of motion. He attempts to deduce 



