Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-03-28
For the Herald.1
what is Chemical Affinity?


Chemical affinity, or attraction, is that
law which associates and eonsociates,
which joins and conioins atoms with life,
life with organization, organization with
intelligence; therefore, this attraction is
the love-1aw of all organization; the
same in the physical world asin the spir
itual. The perpetual fiuX and refiux of
Unparalleled matter throughout the do
main of Nature, the ceaseless combina-
| tion and decomposition of atomic sub
| stances, indicate the immutable activity
and philosophical beauty of this principle.
A fiy's wing and a whirling orb, a curl
/ ing vine and comet in space, come from
| the action of the same law. The coming
together of atoms conjugally-elected-
that is, according to their inherent rela-
tions and essential affinities-makes the
organal phenomena of field and forest, of
sea and sky.
In this connection, allow me to state
new proposition, viz: Particles ofmatter
are associated according to their shape,
their size and their temperament. Now
shape is Intellectually determinable by
the law of progressive refinement; and
temperament, by the volume and disposi-
ton of Inherent vitality. One shape and
temperament of atoms, for example, will
be attracted only to granite; another to
quartz; another to limestone; another to
iron, or silver, copper or gold; another
perhaps, to buckwheat; another to the
formation of rye or oats; another to fish,
or birds; another to animals; another to
the human form; another to the sun; an
other to stars; another to trees; another
to the human soul-all in accordance with
the degree of the harmony of shape, size
and temperament (or attractions) of the
composing atoms. Therefore, we affirm,
that this law of attraction is the great
fundamental controlling force-operating
in all parts of the universe, with uner-
ring precision and harmonial uniformity.
With Paul, we could say, diverse mani-
festations, but by the same principle.''
External philosophers employ this
word, 'sattraction,'' - as indicative of a law
or force which draws bodies or particles
toward each other; or by which atoms or
bodies tend toward each other, and resist
eounteracting influences. One is called
the ATTRACTION of graVitation, - the other
''chemical attraction in all of which
these external investigators see no deep
spiritual sense. Attraction of gravita-
tion'' is considered the great law
which governs and confines the
planets in their respective orbits
and ''chemical attraction is the ten
| deney of those particles in mixture
| to eongregate and coalesee, as each realizes
: an affinity for the other; or, as we might
, state it, as the atoms experience friend
ship and affection for one another-for
) thus the mineral world is made to come
closer to human life, as in truth it should.
t The attraction of gravitation is manifest
. ed, first, according to the quantity of mat
, ter in the body second, according to the
2 squares of the distance of the attracting
, bodies. The former is primary, the latter
secondary. The phenomena are said tC
g be different between bodies at sensible
: distances and those removed beyond sens
l uous appreciation.
have introduced this to show the ut
: ter helplessness of mere knoWledge-de
4 tinitions. Such information is distressing
a to children; simply because it is no
alive. True popular science is like sing
ing bird, a poem, a flower, or the limpiC
r stream, with which the young yearn tc
e be familiar. -,.
Let us enlarge the statement, and yol
+ will observe even the thoughtless you'll
+ lending audience. Attraction in mind i
S identical with attraction in matter. Th'
Universe is all Harmony! and no discor
# dant forces prevail. What is true il
n rocks is equally (or more) true in relig
If ions. All is beauty and unity; call
20 joy from grass to sun''-but the true see
Il of this beauty and unity is wisdom. l
was not experience, but wisdom, tina
spoke these words through the poet
- Young: "The planets of each system
represent kind neighbors; mutual amity
prevails; sweet interchange of rays, re
:. ceived, returned. Enlightening and en-
lightened All at once, attracting an
= attracted! Patriot-like, none sins agains
the welfare of the whole; but their RI
ciprocal, unselfish aid affords an embleI
>, of mllennial love! Nothing i'll Natur,
- much less conscious being, was create
~ solely for itself!'' Motion, life, sensation
and intelligence, are elements as substar
II TALLY real as fire, heat, light and electric
y ity. Mind is as much a substance as ma
w ter; only, as you know, not so far dow
:, In the scale. And there is not one la
- designed exclusively to govern mind ,an
another to regulate matter; for the la
an of mind and the law of matter is one an
souls and stars are moved and regulate