It is now high time either to banish the atomic theory into the same regions of oblivion as the others abovemeutioned, or to prove the existence of the atoms on which it is founded ; but as this is in its nature an impossibility, it is to he hoped that the time is not far distant when phi losophers will cease to confound imagina ry beings with real existences, and when all that has been written of atoms will be in no more esteem than the volumi nous treatises de Pygmies et Salaman dris, which are to be found among the folios of some of our great academical libraries.
It is true, that the atomic theory ac counts plausibly for many things we otherwise must be content to own are yet beyond our knowledge : this may be a convenience to those who wish to impose on the ignorant ; but all true lovers of science will despise so paltry a resource, especially when so much is now known, that we need no longer blush to own those points which are still involved in obscurity, and spew the boundaries, on the map of science, between the regions of knowledge and the terra incognita of visionary theory.
In the above respect of accounting for matters unknown, the ideal system of Bishop Berkley is equally powerful as, if not superior to, the atomic theory, and has the advantage over it of turning our thoughts incessantly to the Almighty Au thor of all things ; for which reason if we must have recourse to improved theo ries, Berkley's very much deserve the preference.
As to the more minute nature of bo dies, we know that all mineral substances are resolvable into small lamina: or spi cula, of determinate shapes, which, by their multifarious combinations, produce the variously formed crystals, which all mi neral bodies may be resolved into by art, which most may be made to exhibit by skilful dissection, and which so many show naturally. Vegetable substances are resolvable into small fibres, as are like wise animal substances for the most part ; and from the laws of sound philosophy, we must consider the lamina or spi cula, which form the basis of crystalliza tion, as the primary pf,rts of mineral bodies, and fibres as those of organized bodies, until something further can be proved on the subject. These primary
parts of bodies adhere together, it is most probable, by the attraction of cohesion, (as do also their combinations into crys tals and other forms,) modified in some degree by that attraction caused by elec tric fire.
The attraction which takes place among substances in solution is not so easily comprehended, as we know nothing as yet of the exact state in which a sub stance capable of solidity exists, when dissolved in a fluid. In our present state of knowledge, we can only consider it as a fluid itself, capable of reassuming a so lid form in certain circumstances.
The attraction which takes place be tween bodies in a state of vapour is simi lar to that in a fluid state ; their precise and minute state in that condition is un known ; but the combinations which en sue from the attractions of many, in both states, are familiar to all chemists, and from them have proceeded many Of the most useful substances which we possess. It is very fortunate for us, however, that if the knowledge of the minute and pri mary state of bodies is, as it were, con. cealed from our view by an impenetrable veil, it is not of any very great importance to us, as the effects which bodies pro duce on each other can be known to us without it, and it is this latter species of knowledge that affords us the dominion over nature, supplies our wants, and forms the basis of worldly happiness.
The characteristic marks of affinity maybe reduced to the three 1. It acts only at insensible distances, and of course affects only the minute parts of bodies.
2. This force is always the same in the same substances ; but is different in differ ent substances.
3. This difference is considerably mo dified by the mass. Thus, though A has a greater affinity for C than B has, if the mass of B be considerably increased, while that of A remains unchanged, B becomes capable of taking a part of C from A.