53S 
THE CONSTITUTION OF BODY. 
and mentioned the generous manner in which they had provided a room for the Assist¬ 
ants’ Association at the Temperance Hall, Temple Street, in which to hold their meet¬ 
ings, and hoped that the assistants would show their appreciation of the kindness by 
regular attendance. . 
Mr. Arblaster responded. After which he proposed “The President, v ice-President, 
Secretary, and Officers of the Birmingham Chemists’ Assistants’ Association,” which 
was responded to by Messrs. Churchill, Turton, and Homer. 
“ The health of the Chairman ” was next proposed by Mr. How'es, and drunk with 
musical honours. 
The Chairman having responded, Mr. Pattison proposed “ The Ladies, which was 
humorously responded to on their behalf by Mr. Bliss. 
Mr. Sharples then proposed “ The Host,” which was responded to by Mr. 
Johnson. 
The toasts w r ere agreeably interspersed with songs and recitations, and the company 
dispersed well satisfied with a pleasant evening’s enjoyment. 
ORIGINAL AND EXTRACTED ARTICLES. 
THE CONSTITUTION OE BODY. 
BY AN ATOM. 
In his paper on the constitution of matter, IVIr. Tilden has incidentally raised 
some side-issues, which are scarcely less weighty than the main question itself ; 
and the whole subject, both principal and incidents, being of such fundamental 
importance to the science of chemistry, no apology is necessary for reviewing 
the course which so far has been pursued, and for endeavouring to ascertain 
precisely at what point in the inquiry we have arrived. The subject is equally 
interesting to physicists and to chemists,; and the greater the attention that is 
brought to bear upon it, the more likely are we to arrive at some definite con¬ 
clusions, either positive or negative (if, indeed,, any decided conclusions on the 
subject are possible) ; and negative conclusions, as showing how far and 
whither we can not go, will be fully as valuable as positive. 
In order so to review our position, let us first gather from the paper referred 
to, the line of argument that is pursued ; and then, glancing at each section, see 
whither that argument tends and where it lands us. 
Argument.—§ 1. Retrospect at the atomic theory, from Dalton to the 
present time. §2. Certain objections and difficulties stated. §3. Objec¬ 
tions by Faraday quoted. § 4. Way of escape from the difficulty, by com¬ 
bining two theories. § 5. Such a view is more in harmony with the 
general plan of nature, and enables us to correlate our ideas of body and of 
physical forces. § 6. The physical forces and change are motion. 
S 1 . Upon this section only one remark presents itself, viz. concerning causes. 
Students are apt to forget that causes, quoad causes, are, by the nature of the 
case, unknowable. It is not until we get behind d , and find another and higher 
cause c, which converts the given one d, into an effect, that d becomes the sub¬ 
ject of knowledge ; and this it becomes, not as cause, but in the character of de¬ 
pendent effect. In like manner, nothing can be known of c , except upon the 
hypothesis of b ; nor of &, unless by the assumption of a ; at which point all 
possibility of further knowledge ceases. The conclusion seems unavoidable, 
that matter (which occupies the position of a ) must be regarded as the absolute 
negative cause of all things ; and this, we may presume, is substantially what 
the writer means, when he speaks of the universe as the ultimate cause of 
itself. . 
S 2. So far from the various cases cited being objections to the principle ot 
