5 86 
The Four Forces in Nature. 
[October, 
His intestine, though of greater relative weight than that of 
the pure zoophagous species, is evidently required for his 
present mixed diet, and hence it persists. 
IV. THE FOUR FORCES IN NATURE. 
By George Whewell, F.I.C., F.C.S. 
JTLN a previous article* we ventured to enunciate a theory 
Til to explain the fadt that the same piece of carbon (or 
any other element) in different states of combination 
had in one case the power of motion, and was what is called 
living matter, and in the other case had not the power of 
motion, and was what is called dead. 
In Nature we recognised four forces, which we ventured 
to call atomic viva, organic viva, animal viva, and mensic 
viva (mind). 
The same piece of carbon, in one condition having no 
power of motion, as when forming a portion of the root or 
stem of a plant, possesses atomic and organic viva. When 
it forms a portion of a nerve it possesses atomic, organic, 
and animal viva; and when it forms a portion of the brain, 
and causes man to think and adt, it possesses all the four 
forces, — atomic, organic, animal, and mensic (mind) viva. 
We assume that the elements contain these four forces in 
a state of adtivity or otherwise, according to circumstances. 
When the element belongs to the mineral kingdom it pos- 
sesses only atomic viva, the other three forces being latent. 
When it belongs to the animal kingdom the other three are 
either adtive or latent, according to circumstances, — that is, 
according to the position they occupy in the body of a living 
animal or plant. 
Take the life-history of our theoretical molecule of carbon. 
Suppose that a molecule of carbonic acid gas floats about in 
the atmosphere, and is driven hither and thither at the 
caprice of every wind that blows. In this condition atomic 
viva is alone adtive, the other three being latent. In its 
* Journal of Science, October, 1880, p. 639. 
