i88o.] 
The Vehicle of Force. 
619 
earth’s axis, and the direction of motion similar to that of 
the earth. Where these molecules are rigidly constrained 
elements of masses, as in permanent magnets, the axis of 
magnetism must assume a like parallelism, the whole mass 
being moved by this form of terrestrial force. And mole- 
cules and magnets alike must behave with the earth as one 
magnet would behave with another ; that is, the magnetic 
dip & must occur, the magnet becoming vertical at the pole, 
since there its axis must become virtually an extension of 
the earth’s axis, to preserve the conformity in their move- 
ments. Local displays of magnetic energy must adl like 
all other divergencies of motion from its normal relations, 
to temporarily vary the vigour of gravitative force. The 
normal conditions of motion are those possessed by spheres 
as wholes, and the rotations of molecules in harmony with 
those of their spheres. All other motions are discordant 
and temporary, their influence being to temporarily increase 
or diminish the gravitative force of the abnormally-moving 
particles. It is in these abnormal motions, not in gravity, 
that we see the full vigour of atom force. It is partly shown 
in magnetic adtion, but more fully in chemical adtion, in 
which its great energy is strikingly displayed. 
The conformity in motion which we have thus supposed 
to exist throughout the earth probably extends throughout 
the solar system, and possibly through the whole astral 
system of which it forms a part. Yet, as the earth does 
not rotate in stridt parallelism with the rotation of the sun, 
the molecules of the earth may be affedted to some degree 
by this solar rotation, and their axes assume a position in- 
termediate between the diredtion required by these diverse 
forces. In like manner the moon and the planets undoubt- 
edly exert a similar influence, so that the true diredtion 
assumed by the axes of terrestrial molecules is a resultant 
of numerous diverse but closely-related influencing forces. 
And these forces are not fixed in diredtion and degree, but 
are constantly varying, there being daily, yearly, and other 
much longer periods of variation. 
From these variations there may arise the regular varia- 
tions in terrestrial magnetism, which have like periods of 
change. As for the irregular variations, known as magnetic 
storms, there is no reason to doubt that they are usually 
caused by sudden changes in the condition of the sun’s 
surface, by convulsive movements which may well produce 
a striking temporary variation in the relations of the mole- 
cules over an extensive portion of the solar sphere, and thus 
in the sympathetically connedted molecules of all the planets. 
