But "Electricity" will not answer in this case, for the rate of the "travel" of Electricity is well known—184,000 miles per second, which, fast as it is, assumes the crawl of a "slow-freight" when compared with the "instantaneous" rate of travel of Gravitation. And then Electricity requires a "medium" and Gravitation does not, and in many other ways the two are seen to be totally different. And in the case of the Space between the Atom and Molecule and Corpuscle, it is no more reasonable to say "Electricity" than it would be to say "Heat" or "Light"; and "Magnetism" is not available for obvious reasons. Remember that Electricity, Light and Heat are caused by Motion resulting from Attraction, and the child cannot procreate the parent. Heat, Light and Electricity may beget each other (and they do). And Gravitation may procreate Heat, Light and Electricity. But Heat, Light and Electricity cannot procreate Gravitation—Never! And Light, Heat and Electricity require replenishing from the common source of Energy, but Gravitation is self-sufficient and asks no replenishing or storage-battery or power-house. Electricity, Heat and Light come and go, appearing, manifesting and disappearing, swallowed up by each other, or by Substance. But Gravitation is always there—unchangeable—unwavering—immutable—invariable—Something above Matter and Force—something majestic, awe-inspiring, sublime! Does it take a wild flight of the imagination to see that this Something, that is not Matter, and nor Force, must be a manifestation of Mind?
Let us first apply this idea of Thought-transference to the operation of the Law of Attraction between the Corpuscles, Atoms and Molecules of Substance—the Particles of Substance. The particles are believed to move to or away from each other in accordance with the workings of Attraction and Affinity, in its various degrees. First they must desire to move—not Desire in the developed sense that we feel it, but still elementary "feeling," or "inclination," or "tendency"—call it what you will, but it remains rudimentary Mental Emotion—an E-motion leading to Motion. (This is not a pun—look up the meaning of the word Emotion and you will see its application.)
Then, following the Desire, comes the action in the direction of gratifying it. The Particles act to gratify Desire in two ways—acting at a "distance," remember—they exert the Attractive Force, which the writer believes to be Mental Force, transmitted by Mind, projection, a mental or psychic bond or connection being thus established. By means of this bond of Mind, the Particle endeavors to (1) draw itself to the object; and (2) to draw the object toward itself. In the case of the Molecule, this Desire and Movement seems to be mutual, and evidenced by and to all Molecules alike, providing they be within Molecular Distance, as Science calls it. But in the case of the Atoms, it seems to be different—for there is found a greater degree of "choice," or "elective affinity." This "election" or "choice" is not altogether free, but depends upon the relative likes and dislikes of certain "kinds" of elements, as we have seen in previous chapters, although, to be sure, these Elements are all made out of the same "stuff" in different combinations.
The details of Corpuscular Attraction are not known, so it cannot be told whether "preferences" exist, or whether (in the words of the street) all Corpuscles "look alike" to each other. It would appear, however, that there must be some reasons for preference, among the Corpuscles, else they would always form in the same combinations—always act alike to each other, as they are alike in other actions—and thus there would be but one Element or kind of Atom, formed, instead of the seventy-five, already known. To be sure, in this case, it might be that the one kind of Atom formed would be the Atom of Hydrogen, and that all other Elements, or Atoms, were modifications of that one—just proving the dream of the Scientists of the Nineteenth Century. But, as Kipling would say, "that is another story."
To return to the Particle which we left trying to draw the other Particle to itself, and itself toward the other. There is no material connection between them (and Electricity and Magnetism will not answer), so what is to be done? Evidently the Particle knows, for it exerts a "drawing" power or force by means of the Mental-connection, and two come together. The Particle evidently is able to exert a repelling or "moving away" power by reversing the process, the Mental-bond acting as the medium. This may cause a smile, because we have never seen an instance of bodies pulling themselves together by intangible "bonds." Haven't we? Then how about two pieces of magnetised steel, or two electrified substances? Oh, that's different, you say. Why, different? Isn't the bond intangible? And, haven't we seen that both Electricity and Magnetism were Mental Actions also? Oh,—er—but well,—oh yes, that's it—perhaps the Attracting Force is Magnetism or Electricity. No, that will not do, for we have seen that Electricity and Magnetism were products of this Attraction, not producers of it—the Attraction must come before Electricity and Magnetism, not after them—you are mixing Cause and Effect. And, even if you were right—and you cannot be—wouldn't the Electrical or Magnetic Force be called into operation, and directed by the Mental Action, arising from the Desire? You cannot get away from Mental Action when you study the Law of Attraction.
"But, how about the fact that Heat causes the Particles to change their vibrations, and draw apart, and all that sort of thing—and Electricity, likewise?" you may ask. "Surely this takes the matter away from Mental Action, doesn't it?" Well, the writer thinks that the phenomenon referred to only helps to prove his theory. And he will endeavor to so prove to you.
The consideration of the facts related in this chapter, leads us to a supplemental proposition to our Basic Proposition, which may be stated as follows:
Supplemental Proposition I.—Not only is the Law of Attraction the manifestation of a Mental Process, or Vital-Mental Action; but also the actual Force or Energy used in bringing the Particles of Substance in closer relation, in accordance with that Law, is in its nature a Vital Mental Force or Energy, operating between bodies or particles of Substance, without a material medium.