AND IMMATERIAUSM. 



363 



gestions of fancy, we should have heard but little of this controversy ; for 

 it would have made us too modest to engage in it : it would have shown 

 us completely our own ignorance, and the folly of persevering in so fruitless 

 a chase. Let us then, in as few words as possible, and in order to excite 

 this modesty, attempt that which has been too seldom attempted heretofore, 

 and see how far the subject is unfolded to us in the book of the visible 

 creation. 



It has already appeared to us, that matter in its simplest and rudest state 

 is universally possessed of certain active properties, as those of gravitation 

 and repulsion, which in consequence of their universality, have been deno- 

 minated essential but it has also appeared to us that there is an insu«= 

 perable difficulty in determining whether these properties belong to com- 

 mon matter intrinsically, or are endowments resulting from the presence and 

 operation of some foreign body, the ethereal medium of Sir Isaac Newton, 

 and which, if it exist at all, is probably a something different from matterj 

 or if material, different from common, visible, and tangible matter. 



It has appeared to us next, that common matter, in peculiar states of 

 Kiodification, is also possessed of peculiar properties, independently of the 

 general or essential properties which belong to the entire mass.j Thus 

 iron and iron ore give proofs of the possession of that substance or quality 

 which we call magnetic ; glass, amber, and the muscular fibres of animals, 

 give equal proofs of that substance or quality which we denominate electric 

 or voltaic ; and all bodies in a state of activity, of that substance or qua- 

 lity which is intended by the term caloric. But what is magnetism ? What 

 is voltaism ? What is caloric ? There is not a philosopher in the world who 

 can answer these questions : we know almost as little of them as of gravi- 

 tation, and can only tracb them by their results. We can, indeed, collect 

 and concentrate them, invisible and intangible as they are to our senses ; 

 and we have hence some reason for believing them to be distinct sub- 

 stances rather than mere qualities ; and consequently denominate them 

 auras. But are these auras material or immaterial ? Examined by the 

 common properties of matter, as weight, solidity, impenetrability, they ap- 

 pear to be the latter ; for they are all equally destitute of these properties, 

 so far as our experiments have extended ; and hence they are either imma- 

 terial substances, or material substances void of the general qualities that 

 belong to matter in its grosser forms. 



Let us ascend to the next step in this wonderful and mysterious scale. 

 It appeared from the remarks offered in a former lecture, | that independently 

 of that general influence and power of attraction which every particle of 

 matter exerts over every other particle, there are some bodies which exert 

 a peculiar power over other bodies, which separate them from their strong- 

 est and most stubborn connexions, and as completely run away with them 

 as the fox runs away with the young chicken. And we here behold another 

 power introduced, and of a still higher order ; a power, too, of the most 

 complex variety, and which in different substances exhibits every possible 

 diversity of strength. 



Let us take a single example of this curious phjenomenon, and let us 

 draw it from facts that are known to almost every one. The water of the 

 sea, and of various landsprings, as that of Epsom for example, is loaded 

 with a certain pK)rtion of sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol ; thus impre^- 



* Ser. I. Lect. lY. t Ser. I. Lect, V. t Ser. I. Lect. V. 



