Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-04-22

sentient beings, while plants are destitute Of
the organs Of sense. Hence, il is not neces-
sary that life be accompanied with locomo-
ton, sensation nor pulsation, and here one
step is gained. II motion, then, is the index
Of life, all matter possesses thel living principle,
only differing in degree, for motion (as an
attempt was made to prove in No. y is one
Of the laws of matter everywhere apparent
II may be said that there can be no motion
Of an inorganic body except as 1t is acted up
on by some other body or influence Grant
ed. This is true of plants. Air. water, the
heat and light of the sun are indispensable TO
the motions Of plant life. Nor do animals
act or move Independently of external infu-
ences. Their involuntary motions" would
soon cease If they were to be deprived of the
external conditions Of their existence. Their
voluntary notions" improperly so called,
depend entirely upon some influence that
produces a motive TO actioh. Without a
motive of some kind man would never act or
move, and the strongest motive will always
prevail. Is this doubted An individual
decides that piece of work demands his at
tention at a certain time. When the time ar
rives this motive is uppermost in the mind.
All at once he recalls a promise to meet
friend at the same hour to arrange business
matter Of some importance. The business
transaction now presents the stronger mo-
tive and he has no power to perform the la
Dor before decided upon. At this juncture
his house takes fire. Now the motive to give
battle TO the flames is the strongest Of the
three the labor and the business transac-
ton are lost sight Of in the eAgerness to ar
rest the flames and save his property. Do
we feel sure that the strongest motive can be
disobeyed, or that we can act Independently
and without control? The disobedience in
order to show the freedom Of the will, proves
that the desire to disobey has now become
the stronger motive and establishes the truth
of the proposition. A corolary grows out Of
the proposition which cannot be discussed
here, viz, the justice of punishment. Let it
suffice to say that punishment is not incon-
sistent with the views here expressed.
Now let us search for the motive" prin-
ciple in inorganic matter. Here it is called
affinity" or sometimes ''likes and dislikes,"
because the motion OF dead" matter 80
ings acting under an impulse Of the will. Put
into q vessel sulphate of soda and muriate Of
lime. The former is composed of sulphuric
acid and soda, the latter Of muriatic acid and
lime. These compounds will change COM
panions The muriatic acid Of the muriate
of lime will combine with the soda of the sui
phate of soda, and the sulphurc acid Of the
sulphate of soda will combine with the lime
of the muriate of lime, producing two new
compounds viz, muriate Of soda and sui
plate OF lime. These changes occur under
the law of double elective affinity, the affinity
between the constituents of the new COM
pounds being greater than the affinity be-
tween the constituents Of the old. In the
higher forms OF matter the principle here dis
covered and known as affinity is called
motive :" it may be of friendship, love OF
gain, charity, curiosity, or any one of the
many others that induces a sentient being to
act in a certain manner. Chemical repulsion
reproduced in sentient beings is dislike. hat
red, malice, revenge, or any other antagon-
ism that repels a union of hearts.
Finally This inquiry opens an inexhAusti-
BILE field for study and reflection, more fas-
cinatipg to fhe true mind of man than Don
Quixote or the Arabian Nights If mankind
would seek more earnestly for its rich treas
ures, and devote less attention to the vices
and follies of life, they would be at once up
on the highway to enjoyment and peace.
The laborer as he tolls alone, the traveller,
the mechanic and the man of leisure, will
here find ample scope for thought, compAn-
ions upon every hand, and in every material
object an instructor. The volume Of nature
is open wide, and silently invites to the study
of its eloquent pages. Its sublime truths i'm
prove the mind, enlarge the heart, strength
en- the understanding, elevate the affections,
discountenance vice and crime, and incite to
virtue and moral rectitude. Who would not
be student of the great volumeS 5. e. C.
Wilmington, Vt.