in medicine, facts, no less than theory, declare,
that no effect occurs without material
cause; that no initial change takes place without
equivalent result; in all cases, there is
but one source of power or change. In short,
there exists but one sole spring—there is a
monogenesis, or a one-birth—of all physical or
natural forces. This unity in the source of
material power runs consistently parallel
with the sublime doctrine of the Unity of the
Godhead, as distinguished from the gods
many, which are the characteristic of all
pagan creeds. The wisdom from on high
which teaches us to reverence One Jehovah,;
the Lord of all, appears to be leading us to
the conclusion that His arm, unlike those
of the monstrous idols of the East, is
single, although all-powerful and ever-
present.

We may therefore allow Mr. Smee to
assume that, by the fiat of an immaterial
power, matter, as long as it has existed, has
possessed an inherent property, which it will
retain till it ceases to exist—called attraction;
for in every case in which we observe
matter, we notice that it possesses a power
whereby two portions are drawn together or
mutually attracted. From this we deduce a
law, "That whatever attracts is matter, and
whatever cannot attract is not matter."
Besides this grand fundamental quality of
attraction, matter has many other wonderful
properties. We live in a material world, but
we can neither make nor destroy matter.
However many times matter may be
combined with or acted upon by other matter, it
remains the same in amount; and even when
so changed that it possesses no vestige of its
former state, yet it is neither increased nor
diminished.

How far matter is divisible, we know not;
because we can readily separate it into
particles far below the point of magnitude to
which our senses can follow it; no microscope
has been able to see the ultimate
elements of salts, so long as they remain in
solution. One of the most subtle divisions
of solid matter is to be found in the black
pulverulent state of metals, such as is
employed for Smee's form of battery. It has
been supposed that all matter is black when
extensively divided, because its particles are
too small to reflect light; but the form of
these black particles is unknown to us,
because the highest powers of the microscope
are insufficient to render them visible to the
eye.

Notwithstanding the infinite divisibility
of matter, as far as human power, human
comprehension, and human practice are
concerned, it is found convenient, as the
most probable theory, to assume that matter
is divisible into definite particles which can
no longer be divided, and which are hence
called atoms, from a Greek word meaning
indivisible. We know not, moreover, how
many kinds of matter there are, or whether
there is more than one kind. It by no means
follows that, because chemists have been
unable hitherto to decompose the so-called sixty
elements, they should be separate bodies
having a different and peculiar nature of
their own. As every element has a different
combining number, it is possible that each
undecomposed body which has as yet resisted
the efforts of the laboratory, may only be a
number of atoms attracted together so firmly
as to resist our present power of separation.
The ultimate particles of matter are
aggregated or attracted into masses, whose great
variety is demonstrated by daily and
familiar observation. Ice alone shows what
different appearances may be assumed at
different times by the very same elements;
hail, snow, hoarfrost, rime, branching
crystals, and solid transparent rock. In the
electro-metallurgic deposits of scientific men
and manufacturers, wherein objects are built
up atom by atom, very different kinds of
aggregation are obtained. The copper
electrotype from which the Bank of England
note is printed, is so excellent, that a portion
tried by Mr. Smee was found capable of
being drawn into three and a-half miles of
wire; whilst, under certain circumstances,
copper so deposited breaks, with a conchoidal
fracture, a proof of its brittleness, with the
greatest ease.

Attraction exists not only between two
solids, which have the power of attracting
each other into one uniform mass by adhesion
(as when two pieces of lead or glass, on
being brought into contact, mutually adhere,
sometimes greatly to the manufacturer's
discomfort), but also liquids and solids in contact
have a power of mutual attraction—as
in capillary attraction—as have likewise
gases and liquids. Further, even between
gases and solids it has been proved that
attraction is existent. A most important
result of these attractions, for which we should
not be prepared beforehand if it had not
been demonstrated by analysis, is that
particles of two or more different kinds of matter
may be attracted together so as to produce
a totally new substance, having none of the
properties of the former particles. Thus,
chlorine and sodium form common salt;
hydrogen and oxygen, water. Attracted matter,
either in masses or in the most attenuated
particles, attracts other masses at any
distance. By this power of gravity, everything
in the universe is kept in its appointed place;
to this power, the sun, the moon, the stars
in the firmament, every substance on earth
and in open space, owes the position which it
occupies.

And now we step forward to other
considerations, which lead us to the one consistent
doctrine enunciated by Mr. Smee. In every
case where attraction is exerted, it can be
destroyed by a new attraction; and thus,
whilst attracted matter exhibits cohesion,
composition, position, so a new attraction can