The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-12-03
From ne London Spectator Of Sent. 6.

CONEhl. w Z nave OeSH cASCCuiIi1iy StIuS n
by the perusal of an essay, which has been
lately printed, and privately circulated
through the scientific channels of London,
announcing the singular discovery that
there exist in all bodies, whether organic
or inorganic, certain particles (active mole
cuiesl which are constantly in state of mo-
ton. Before we offer any account of this
singular and unexpected phenomenon, 1t
may he necessary to secure the attention
and confidence OF orr readers by stating
that the author is Mr.. Robert Brown, gen-
tleman well known throughout Europe as
the most distinguished hotanst of the age,
and whose accuracy, on all subjects of sci
entlfr investigation. it would he little less
than hercsy to question. The observation,
of which the author has given us the sum
mary, were all made with a simple mirros-
cope. tis focal length of which was about
l 53I of an inch. His original object was
the examination of the structure of the pol
len plants; and it was while viewing the
PARTICLES obtained from that of Otirekia
pulrhfla. immersed in water, that he fl st
observed the motions that led to such ru-
rious conclusions. These motions he tells
us, not only consisting otchange of place IN
the fluid, manifested Inv alterations in their
relative position. hut also. not untreQuenIy,
of change of form in the particle itself:
and, in Il few instances, the particle was
seen to Turn on its longer axis. These mo-
tons were such as to satisfy the author, at
ter frequently repeated observations, that
they were neither from currents in the fluid,
Eor from its gradual evaporation, bat be
longed to the particle itself. The, dlsrov-
cry of motion in living plants is by no means
novel; nor does Mr.. Brown, rs far as this
goes, clam any merit for originality; hut
he has extended the sphere of our knowl-
edge in this department, Ivy showing that
such motions belong 10 the PARTICLES OF the
pollen of every living plant submitted to ex-
animation. Rejecting on these facts, he
was disposed to believe that these active
PARTICLES were in reality the supposed con-
stituents Of elementary molecules of organ
ic bodies, first so considered by Button and
Needhan, and more rerently ''y DIR. Milne
Edwards. who has revived the doctrine, AMI
supported 1t with much interesting de;al
and lie therefore proceeded to examine the
various animal n,ivegetable tissues, wheth
CIR living or dead, and with equal success.
By merely hraiSing these substan' es in
the water, he says, Il never failed 10 dis
engage the molecules in suffirient numbers
to ascertain their apparent identity IN SIZE
form, AMI motion, with the smaller PARTICLES
of the grain of pollen" He also examined
various products Of organic bodies, partIcu
larly the gum-resins, &c. Here our won.
der necessarily increases, and takes new
direction. Hitherto the idea of motion has
been associated with life, and is consistent
with our previous views: but we are noM
called upon to extend our notions of vitality
to gum resins and the products of living
vegetables, or as an alternative, we mus
seek for the source of motion amongst the
agencies which influence inert matter. Blu
our readers are now only entering upon the
field of mystery and wonders; what vii
they say, when they are informed that the
mineral kingdom ahounds in moving partl
cles? aye, even the dust of Lond.2?1l;o ,v,.
YOU, hear the authors own "ords-'l re-
mark here, also, partly as caution to those
vino NAV hereafter engage IN the same IN
quiry, that the dust or SCOT deposited on al
bodies in such quantity, especially in Lon
don, is entirely composed ofLhese molecules.
To establish the correctness OF the INFER
enres that these molecules were not limited
TO organic bodies, nor even to their products
Mr. Brown examined a minute fragment O
window glass, from which, when merely
! bruised on the stage OF the microscope, he
readily and copiously obtained molecules
agreeing in 81 e, form, and motion, with
those he had already observed In conclu-
SION, he enumerates the principal substances
! from which these moving molecules could
not he obtained: these exceptions are OIL
resin, wax, and sulphur, such Of the metals
as he rould not reduce TO that minute state
of division necessary for their separation
and, finally. bodies soluble in water; but ouI
readers will Immediately perceive that snct
are rather apparent than real exceptions tc
this general law. Having given brief out
| line OF this most curious, and at present mys-
/ FERROUS discovery, we may, perhaps, he eX-
pected to offer some opinion, or at least tC
! lazari some sort OF conjecture. In the first
place, can such motion belong to the parti.
Gle itSef?-may it not be the result OF some
| foreign cause? Mr.. Brown is satisfied upor
this point, and he tells us that he is quite
certain that no source of faIlacv eau exist
1 but the wisest philosopher has erred, and we
would, with all humility inquire, whether
these motions may not possibly he connected
| with the extricatIon of minute bubbles oil an
from the water Almost every substance IL
n state OF minute division has the power o.
producing such a separation. We VIII H.
I lnstrate this by one example: after g lass
Of soda water or champagne had ceased tC
| effarvesee, "A small quantity Of powdered SUI
| gar (sand would answer the same purpose
viii re-excite it into action. But suppose
! for arguments sake, that no source Of talla
cy exists, AMI that the particles do actually
possess an inherent and independent princi
pie ofmotion: in such case, we must eithe
infer the presence Of lite, or of attraction, fol
we know Of no other sources of notion
magnetism and electricity are included I'M
der the idea Of the latter. We have next t.
inquire whether the phenomena in question