A.—ORGANOSOPHY.
I.—ORGANOGENY.
A. Galvanism.
867. If we take a retrospective glance at the development of the planet, we find that it commenced with the simplest actions, and then assumed a more elevated character by gradually drawing together several actions and letting them work in common. In magnetism the earth-element alone was active, and this having freed itself from the other elements by crystallization, asserted itself as a particular form upon the planet. By this single act of the planet, an extensive series of positions or numbers originated, which may be called mineral individuals.
868. Up to the formation of the solar system or of the planet, the character of creation is analytic. The three primary ideas emerged from each other as gravity, light and heat, and appeared as fire. These three united actions emerged again from each other and became air, water and earth, which together make up the planet. This was therefore the descending creation. But from and after this period, the character of the development of the planet becomes synthetic, for the divided elements again united with each other. By synthesis only or by combination of the elements does the planet progressively advance, and by it only does it divide into lesser planetary masses or bodies, called individuals. This is the ascending creation.
869. To the earth-element, in which the active magnetism is isolated, comes the element-water; and by the identification of both into one body, a new process is evolved, which we have recognized by the term chemism—salt. Then the earth-element combines with air and becomes an Inflammable, in which the process is likewise extinguished and only a dead product is left—the Inflammable. Then it combines with fire and is converted into ore. There never originates therefore from the twofold combination of the earth-element with any other element, but one product, that namely in which the Earthy obtains the preponderance, or a mineral.
870. Two elements only belong to the essence of chemism, and they indeed are the two lowest, the elements carbon and oxygen, both being reduced to their primary condition, i. e. to that of an alkali in natron, and an acid in the hydrochloric or that of common salt.
871. As the principle or rationale of chemical action consists only in the potentiality of two elements to revert to their polar, or the oxygenous, condition, this action must thus become extinct, so soon as the creation of the new or secondary element has resulted. For if the tension equalizes itself in the two, and the two only be coexistent, so in accordance with the compensation no new tension can originate, and yet such is the groundwork of all chemical action. The result of the chemical process is consequently death; and furthermore, because it is also a simple bin-elementary process, it cannot be the ultimate goal or limit attained by the development of the planet.
872. The next stage to which the genesis of the planet ascends consists in the bin-elementary processes being associated with the third terrestrial element. In this manner a process originates in which the powers of earth and of water marry or conjoin with the power of air, and thus originates a chemical power or chemism, influenced by the air.