New-York tribune., 1842-03-12
IConiinn..d


IContinucd.
FOURIER first discovery was the univer4ality
Of distributions. according 10 law Of ascending
AMI descending progression. III every order OF the
creation from the highest To the lowest degree Of
animate and inanimatc beings. This law Of pro-
grcSslyc distribution he termed SERIES: accord
ineiH, tie first grand axiom which he established
was this =" All the harmonies Of NE uni,erse
are dlst1i6@ted IN progressive series"
Having Observed pcriecr analogy in the different
orders o'=crcatlon IN the universe, lr led 10
incr. that, as the Creator aAd the same
being, Infinite and eternal III llis attributes, there.
must necessarily be Il principle Of unity and
analogy in all his creations: ,ha, The cREArlnS
must necessarily be relie, ion of the attributes
o the CRgAToR that the Creator being all in all
twas impossible for him to paint or rcprcscn, any
thing but himself in the creation. Inc had rsIrc-
scented any thing foreign to his attributes that
something must exist independently and, in that
case, the Deity would not be Infinite. Such AN lv-
potlleSis being perfectly absurd admit that
the Creator is Infinite and that it would be inpoS-
siblc for him to create any thing which was
analogous to some OF his own attributes. From
these considerations, Fourier derived his second
axiom -" The Creator beng one infinite. Aor-
monions dcimg. erery thing IN nature must be an
iwitaii0n Of his own atttId4teS md Merctore
there crisis nniccrsa} aNniogy n erery order
Of crc0lion.
Considering ATTRACTION aud Rcpulson the
universal laws Of Nature, and God as the original
distributor OF all sorts of attraction, ii Is perfectly
rational infer that the respective faculties OF
impulses of attraction and rcpulsion in all orders
of beings. are distributed exactly in proportion 10
their respective unctio,is in the general harmony
Of the universe: the affinity which binds the atom
10 thcatom, the attractive power which governs the
harmony of the planets, the 0fectionS which bind
human beings to each other III society. are only so
many dcrcnt modes OF the universal law OF
Attraction and Rrpulsion; and from this scll-evl-
dent induction. Fourier derived his third general
axiom "Ihe permanent attractions and repnl-
SONS ot ccerg being nthe creation are c.racily
IN proportion 10 their. respectioc functions ard
real acstimics IN the unicc'$e.
With these three axoms ior=his guides, he set
out in quest of the grand principle of association
and unity. The first thing be discovered Was.
an exact knowledge cl The nature of Man ii~
natural impulses attractions and repusions. The
second object lor consideration was, the progressive
distribution of these faculties according the gene
raj laws of Sertes, which regulate the harmony OF
the universe: the third fact TO be nsccrancd Was.
the analogy betwcen the ncwly discovered princi-
pics and the other known laws of Naturc,=a5 a
confirmation or rcfu,ation of the discovery.
1t would be superiuous TO enter farther into
these details at present; they will be FULLY de-
vclopcd in the following treatise:
About the time of his discovery, Fourier returned
to Lyons, and as he not able to devote the
whole of his time to study Inc cndeavorcd to COM
binc his tavorite pursuits with a=shsht occupation
which would procure him the common neccssaries
OF life. To be constantly confined ina warehouse
or coua ting -housc would have occupied too much
of his time he preferred being free. and gam
ing less he became what, in Franco, Is termed
:. CouY,iier H0tY0n, sort Of unlicensed Gem
mcrcial Agent This Junction. occupying very
liltc of his tinlc formed valuable link between
practical application to business and theoretical
spcculations concerning society. 1t Is probable
that this EVERYDAY recurrence 70 the actual prac-
,ccs of the world, formed very Wholesome check
to the illusions OF theory; for philosopher ever
wandered so little from the confines OF rcall!y,o OF
progressed 50 far in the intricate mazes OF actuality
us Fourier: his most trnnSccndeut Spcculatlons are
traced, through analogy, down 10 the lowest orders
of creation. the insect and the atom his critical
anal of history and existing society proceeds
from the most minute details of everyday !itc to
the llishcs, considerations Of national policy. bis
tavorite method Of demonstration, consisted in con-
trasing the infinitely small with the infinitely great,
according to that universal law of Nature, tie con-
tact of e.rtremeS in every branch of lhecreatlon.
in every series of natural classification.
ln#lSOG. Fourier published his frs, work, unde,
the title of 's7bCoric dcs quafre .uouremenS or
the Theory OF Universal Attraction and kepulsion
The first volume was merely prospectus OF the
work in1e,led To procure the means oi publishing
the resi- bv subscription; hut little OF no notice
being taken of the prospectus, the publication
was suspended. He had bestowed eight wears
labor in working ont the principles otshiS discovery