Now for the Attraction of the Atoms--"Chemical Affinity," or "Chemism," as it is called. An Atom, you know, is the chemical unit of Matter, and the smallest particle of Matter that can enter into combination (leaving the Corpuscle out of the consideration, for the moment). These Atoms exhibit and manifest an Attraction for each other that causes them to form combinations or "marriages," and thus to combine, forming a molecule. But remember, always, that when Atoms "combine" they do not merge their identities--they simply "marry," and nothing more. Each atom maintains its own identity, and is found intact if the "marriage" is destroyed by chemical process, which might be called the termination of the molecular marriage, by "divorce," that is, by one Atom forsaking its mate and seeking a new "affinity" in the shape of some more attractive (or attracting) Atom. For, alas, the Atoms are more or less fickle, and often leave their life-partners for some other fascinating Particle. At times there is manifested a condition of "how happy could I be with either, were t'other fair charmer away"--there is a conflict of attractions. There is more "flirting" and "affairs of the heart" in the world of Atoms than in the region of the Molecules, for while the latter are apt to seek only the companionship of their own "family," or some nearly related family, the Atoms have quite a number of possible "affinities," and will invariably desert a lesser attraction for a greater one (thus forming a new molecule) and leave the deserted one to get along alone as best it may, or else form a new alliance with some other affinity who is either impervious to the attraction of the more brilliant charmer, or else is out of the danger of temptation. But, if we analyze and carefully consider this "Chemical Affinity," "Chemism," we will see that it comes well under the definition of "Attraction" as given by Webster, and quoted in the first part of this chapter. It certainly comes under the rule of "_the power in nature acting mutually between bodies, or ultimate particles, tending to draw them together_," etc. The writer thinks that he is justified in asking you to consider Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion and Chemical Affinity as related forms of the same thing. If you do not like to call this "same thing" by the name of "Gravitation," suppose we call it "The Law of Attraction," of which Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion, Chemical Affinity or Chemism are but different aspects. (This "relation" is described in Chapter XIII.)