The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-22
CORRELATION OF FORCE.

| pie has other names Indeed, it is susceptible
of as many names as it is capable of mani
festations, and these exceed enumeration and
bafie conception. In its widest generality,
the most familiar of its synonyms are persis-
| tence equivalence. transmutability and indie
structibility of force. Perhaps equilibrium
and compensation might be added. The fan
damental idea of all the speculations starting
from this standpoint, is that all physical ex-
istence, all organic structure, all vital, moral
and intellectual energies are the results of the
action and reaction of force a single force,
Interchangeable in quantity, but incomputably
variable in form. It has been usual to assume
among its chief subdivisions heat, light, cleo
tricity, mechanical force; and the boldest and
latest speculation adds to this list what is
called nerve force or physico-mental force.
If the doctrine in question be sound-and it
has the adhesion of some of the severest
thinkers of the day-it must follow that ply
sico-mental action, as mechanical action, is
simply force manifested in Communication, or
exchange. when one form of it passes into ano-
| ther form. The mechanical equivalent of heat
for example--to take an illustration from one
of Professor Bain's essays. on this subject
the 772 pounds of Joule, expresses the rate of
exchange between mechanical momentum and
heat, one pound of carbon burnt evolving
heat enough to raise $3.50 pounds of water
one degree, Centigrade. The combination of
these two equivalents would show that the
consumption of half pound Of carbon would
raise man of ordinary weight to the highest
summit of the Himalayas. Tracing the trans
migration of force through various forms of
organic existence, and through as many
stages of functional action to its elimination
In mind, using the word in the sense which in
cludes sensibility, volition and thought, the
| same writer observes :" In the growth of
plants, the forces of the solar ray-heat and
light-are expended in decomposing Cor de-
oxjdizing) carbonic acid and water, and in
building up the living tissues from the libe-
rated carbon and the other elements all
which force is given up when these tissues
are consumed, either as fuel in ordinary COM
bustion, or as food in animal combustion. 1t
it this animal combustion of the matter of
plants, and of animals (fed on plants)-
etc.-that yields all the manifestations of
power in the animal Frame And, in par
ticular, it maintains a certain warmth of tenn
perature of the whole mass against the cool
ing power of surrounding space I; it maintains
mechanical energy, as muscular power and
| it maintains nervous power, or a certain flow
of the influence circulating through the
nerves, which circulation of influence, beside
reacting on the other animal processes-mus-
cular, glandular, etc.-has for its distinguish
| ing concomitant, the mind"
1t would be hasty, rash and superficial
conclusion to regard this view of the quanti-
tatiye fxity and the transmutative fexibility
of force, as a mere abstraction having no
practical bearing on individual life and char
acter, and on social conditions and evolutions.
Whatever there is of truth in the theory must
intimately concern every interest of human
| ity; and no philosophical and candid critic
will deny that there is in human history
much which must be accounted for upon this
theory, or be RENTED to the realms of mys-
terry, of miracle, of superstition, as wholly
inexplicable to reason and common sense
1t is necessary to suppose an individual,
or a national aggregate of individuals, to be
endowed with a definite quantity of force, in
order to deal logically with either. To reject
this suppositon is to launch upon bound
less sea of uncertainty. No rational person
does consciously reject it. Consciously, or
unconsciously, he makes it the basis of innu-
merable conclusions regarding men and
institutions. Nearly all the proverbs and
didactic maxims that are current in some way
reflect the doctrine of the correlation of
force. Let us present, didactically,
some of those phases of the
doctrine which are illustrated in individ-
ual characteristics, and in social manifesto
tons. Every excess of strength IN one direc-
ton is the measure of corresponding weak
ness in another direction. There is always
an idiotic or imbecile side to what is called
eccentric genius. A special faculty is never
developed into singular power except by an
expenditure of force that is bankrupting to
other faculties. General power, on the other
hand, restricts special developments, and
brings all the faculties, physical and mental,
into harmonious cooperation. A nature
richly endowed and truly strong must be one
possessed of large original force which has
been evenly and equally developed. A man
son whom each god doth seem to set his
seal" is he whose life resembles perfect
poem in the rhythmic harmony of all the
faculties, of all the sentiments, emotions and
sympathies. In modern literature, Shak-
speare and Goethe come nearer than all
others to this model.
To apply to Americans this rule of judg-
ment, would be, we fear, to reveal for the
most part chaos of splendid but spasmodic
excuses, and OF glaringand unsightly, if not
fatal, deficiencies. The national mind is at
this moment suffering the penalty of an I'M
healthful and phrentic tension. It's condition
is that of coma after fever and delirium. It
lacks energy. 1t lacks vigilance and foresight.
1t does not like to hear the voice of warning.