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the mind of God, just as they had done while purely geome- 
trical in character. How well are thus united the opposite 
systems of Newton and Berkeley, so far as integrity of volume 
is concerned, I need not stay to point out ; but it may be 
well to say that their reconciliation in minute details is pro- 
vided for on principles equally perspicuous. 
Created matter is, on this showing, still immaterial to all 
immaterial things, which have no bounding surfaces for them 
to rest against ; and materially solid to all material things 
which have such surfaces. From this it follows that things 
are not what they are in themselves absolutely, but rather 
what they are in relation to something else. Now, when we 
duly extend this consequence of relation, we perceive other 
truths, among which I shall hope some day, if spared to 
undertake the task, to enlarge upon the following physio- 
logical doctrine : — Mental perceptions of the relations of 
material things to organs of sense are immaterial, because the 
perceptions are things which relate only to immaterial mind. 
And almost immediately I shall have to prove that on this 
doctrine of relationship hangs the whole explanation of cause 
and effect throughout the length and breadth of all the natural 
sciences. 
The change of geometrical solids into material solids takes 
date from the act of mental volition to which the change is 
due. Up to that moment the thing which has been created 
geometrically, and which is still immaterial, is susceptible of 
infinite division ; but at that instant of becoming material 
with relation to all similar things, its divisibility, on these 
principles, ceases, and it remains for ever after a definite atom , 
greater or less in volume, but to our minds always incon- 
ceivably minute. 
The atoms of matter thus constituted have only form , volume, 
and 'physical solidity, without any means of changing their 
places in space, either to collect together or to disperse ; but 
Omnipotent volition is competent to invest them with a ten- 
dency to approach one another from any distance, which 
tendency we should call attraction, meaning, by the term, 
some power calculated to lessen distance between their 
bounding surfaces. Now, geometrical spheres have no such 
tendency, while atoms are reciprocally attracted. Attraction , 
tlcerefore, must start into existence at the moment when the 
geometrical solids become atoms; and whether we call that 
force immaterial in relation to its source, or physical in rela- 
tion to its results,, it is just the same an operation of Divine 
volition. We have seen that the geometrical solids become 
definite in volume at the instant of changing into material 
