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itself essentially material or substantial. Here, then, is another 
natural paradox. Hardness or solidity, which we naturally 
consider the most material and substantial characteristic of 
material things, is, when we reflect and examine, nothing really 
material at all ! Glass, when formed and joined in a certain 
way by means of fire, and then allowed to cool — for the cold is 
as necessary as the heat, you know, to produce the solidity — 
has certain qualities of hardness, solidity and elasticity ; but 
these qualities it has as a whole, only from some law which 
regulates the cohesion of its particles — “ the attraction of 
cohesion '' it is scientifically, or rather technically, called — (but 
if by attraction we mean “ drawing together/' and by cohesion 
“ sticking together," and translate the phrase, it will stand, 
“the drawing together of that which is sticking together!" 
and, you will agree with me, this technical phrase adds little to 
our ideas on the subject,) while the same material particles, 
none wanting recollect, when broken up and separated, lose all 
these solid and substantial qualities, by merely separating one 
part from another, by taking nothing material away ! ° The 
hardness, then, you observe, the solidity, the elasticity, all that 
opposes obstacles to the penetration or action of other material 
things when brought into contact with it, is produced only by 
some law which gives the particles of glass these properties when 
united or fused together in a certain manner. This to— the 
expression of the word or will of God — is the true substance ! 
11. But I will illustrate this point by a work of man's skill 
not so subtle as this wonderful effect of God's law which we 
call nature. You will please to keep in mind that all solidity, 
or lesistance to penetration, is merely the preventing of any 
other material getting between the particles of matter, which 
wben penetrated, as we call it, are only pushed aside, as a knife 
iv.es particles of bread or wood, and as your finger may 
particles of sand or clay. We can have nothing simpler than a 
cane-bottomed chair. Observe the texture formed of the cane • 
it serves as a substantial support to the person who sits upon it 
W1 * 1 his weight; it offers resistance to the penetration of 
vour hand when you press upon it; and you are aware that this 
strength or power of resistance is owing merely to the way in 
which the strips of cane are woven together and made to 
support one another, and which prevents them moving aside at 
every touch, as they would do if not thus artfully crossed and 
woven. \Y e have another illustration in the texture of the 
clothes we wear In them we have strong materials, difficult 
to tear, and which would resist to a great extent all the strength 
Dy which we might endeavour to push our finger or hand 
