Each so-called Special Physical Property of Matter is seen to be but the action of the Molecule resisting separation, in obedience to that law of its being called "Attraction," or "Gravitation," or "Cohesion," or "Adhesion"—but which might as fitly be called "Desire," or "Love." And, remember, that this law does not seem to be merely one of self-preservation of the Molecule—for it remains intact even after the separation from its companions or family. It is more, for it is a law that causes it to bend all its energies in remaining within "molecular distance" or close companionship with its family, and resisting disintegration. It is like the "social instinct" in Man, if one may be pardoned from using the figure.
Now for the Attraction of the Atoms—"Chemical Affinity," or "Chemism," as it is called. An Atom, you know, is the chemical unit of Matter, and the smallest particle of Matter that can enter into combination (leaving the Corpuscle out of the consideration, for the moment). These Atoms exhibit and manifest an Attraction for each other that causes them to form combinations or "marriages," and thus to combine, forming a molecule. But remember, always, that when Atoms "combine" they do not merge their identities—they simply "marry," and nothing more. Each atom maintains its own identity, and is found intact if the "marriage" is destroyed by chemical process, which might be called the termination of the molecular marriage, by "divorce," that is, by one Atom forsaking its mate and seeking a new "affinity" in the shape of some more attractive (or attracting) Atom. For, alas, the Atoms are more or less fickle, and often leave their life-partners for some other fascinating Particle. At times there is manifested a condition of "how happy could I be with either, were t'other fair charmer away"—there is a conflict of attractions.
There is more "flirting" and "affairs of the heart" in the world of Atoms than in the region of the Molecules, for while the latter are apt to seek only the companionship of their own "family," or some nearly related family, the Atoms have quite a number of possible "affinities," and will invariably desert a lesser attraction for a greater one (thus forming a new molecule) and leave the deserted one to get along alone as best it may, or else form a new alliance with some other affinity who is either impervious to the attraction of the more brilliant charmer, or else is out of the danger of temptation.
But, if we analyze and carefully consider this "Chemical Affinity," "Chemism," we will see that it comes well under the definition of "Attraction" as given by Webster, and quoted in the first part of this chapter. It certainly comes under the rule of "the power in nature acting mutually between bodies, or ultimate particles, tending to draw them together," etc.
The writer thinks that he is justified in asking you to consider Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion and Chemical Affinity as related forms of the same thing. If you do not like to call this "same thing" by the name of "Gravitation," suppose we call it "The Law of Attraction," of which Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion, Chemical Affinity or Chemism are but different aspects. (This "relation" is described in Chapter XIII.)
And the writer believes that this "Law of Attraction" is the underlying cause of all that we call Energy, Force, Power, Motion, etc., in the Physical world. For if "Gravitation" accounts for all "Mass Motion," or "Mechanical Motion"—if Molecular Cohesion, and the vibrations accompanying it, manifest in forms of "Molecular Motion"—and if Atomic "Chemical Affinity" or "Chemism," manifest in "Atomic Motion"—and if even the Corpuscles in their movements obey this same "Law of Attraction" in some form—and if all Force and Energy is but a "Mode of Motion"—then, if all this be true, are we not justified in claiming that this "Law of Attraction" is the Basis of All Energy, Force and Motion? And are we not justified in thinking of this "Law of Attraction" as always manifesting in the direction of drawing together particles of Substance—be those particles suns, planets, masses, molecules, atoms or corpuscles—in pursuance of some basic law imposed upon All-things, by That-which-is-above-Things?
The following quotation is interesting, in our consideration of this subject:
"There are other forces besides gravity, and one of the most active of these is chemical affinity. Thus, for instance, an atom of oxygen has a very strong attraction for one of carbon, and we may compare these two atoms to the earth and a stone lodged upon the top of a house. Within certain limits, this attraction is intensely powerful, so that when an atom of carbon and one of oxygen have been separated from each other, we have a species of energy of position just as truly as when a stone has been separated from the earth. Thus by having a large quantity of oxygen and a large quantity of carbon in separate states, we are in possession of a large store of energy of position. When we allowed the stone and the earth to rush together, the energy of position was transformed into that of actual motion, and we should therefore expect something similar to happen when the separated carbon and oxygen are allowed to rush together. This takes place when we burn coal in our fires, and the primary result, as far as energy is concerned, is the production of a large amount of heat. We are, therefore, led to conjecture that heat may denote a motion of particles on the small scale just as the rushing together of the stone and the earth denotes a motion on the large. It thus appears that we may have invisible molecular energy as well as visible mechanical energy."—Balfour Stewart.
To the writer it seems that the Particle of Substance finds within its Mind-principle (for you know we have seen that all Substance had something akin to Life and Mind) a constant craving, imbedded in its very nature, which causes it to seek Satisfaction. This craving for Satisfaction results in Unrest, and seeks a solution along two lines. These two lines are indicated by two entirely different Desires that it finds within itself—the first being a Desire or Inclination to seek the companionship of some other Particle—the second being a Desire or Inclination to be Free of Attachment or Entanglement.
The Desire for Attachment arises from the force of the Law of Attraction that exists between each Particle of Substance. The Desire for Non-attachment arises from some inward inclination for Freedom. These two Desires or Inclinations may be called the Desire for Impression and the Desire for Expression.