The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical NotesDarwin, Erasmus
Philosophy
The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical Notes
Darwin, Erasmus
Cosmology -- Poetry; Life -- Origin -- Poetry
3. The magnetic and electric ethers agree in the characters above
mentioned, and perhaps in many others, but differ in the following
ones. The electric ethers pass readily through metallic, aqueous, and
carbonic bodies, but do not permeate vitreous or resinous ones; though
on the surfaces of these they are capable of adhering, and of being
accumulated by the approach or contact of other bodies; while the
magnetic ethers will not permeate any bodies, and are capable of being
accumulated only on iron and steel by the approach or contact of
natural or artificial magnets, or of the earth; at the same time the
attractive and repulsive powers both of the magnetic and electric
ethers will act through all bodies, like those of gravitation and
heat.
Secondly, The two electric ethers rush into combination, when they can
approach each other, after having been separated and condensed, and
produce a violent explosion emitting the heat and light, which were
previously combined with them; whereas the two magnetic ethers slowly
combine, after having been separated and accumulated on the opposite
ends of a soft iron bar, and without emitting heat and light produce a
neutral mixture, which, like the electric combination, ceases to be
cognizable by our senses or experiments.
Thirdly, The wonderful property of the magnetic ethers, when
separately accumulated on the ends of a needle, endeavouring to
approach the two opposite poles of the earth; nothing similar to which
has been observed in the electric ethers.
From these strict analogies between electricity and magnetism, we may
conclude that the latter consists of two ethers as well as the former;
and that they both, when separated by art or nature, combine by
chemical affinity when they approach, the one exploding, and then
consisting of a residuum after having emitted heat and light; and the
other producing simply a neutralised fluid by their union.
XI. _Conclusion._
1. When two fluids are diffused together without undergoing any change
of their chemical properties, they are said simply to be mixed, and
not combined; as milk and water when poured together, or as oxygen and
azote in the common atmosphere. So when salt or sugar is diffused in
water, it is termed solution, and not combination; as no change of
their chemical properties succeeds.
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