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other, as to produce in the vegetable something which will afford our frames, not only energy, but also delicacy of construction.

Low temperature heat would be utterly unable to accomplish this; it consists of ethereal vibrations which are not sufficiently rapid, and of waves that are not sufficiently short, for the purpose of shaking asunder the constituents of compound molecules.

231. It thus appears that animals are, in more ways than one, pensioners upon the sun's bounty; and those instances, which at first sight appear to be exceptions, will, if studied sufficiently, only serve to confirm the rule.

Thus the recent researches of Dr. Carpenter and Professor Wyville Thomson have disclosed to us the existence of minute living beings in the deepest parts of the ocean, into which we may be almost sure no solar ray can penetrate. How, then, do these minute creatures obtain that energy and delicacy of construction without which they cannot live? in other words, how are they fed?

Now, the same naturalists who discovered the existence of these creatures, have recently furnished us with a very probable explanation of the mystery. They think it highly probable that the whole ocean contains in it organic matter to a very small but yet perceptible extent, forming, as they express it, a sort of diluted soup, which thus becomes the food of these minute creatures.

232. In conclusion, we are dependent upon the sun and centre of our system, not only for the mere energy of our

frames, but also for our delicacy of construction-the future of our race depends upon the sun's future. But we have seen that the sun must have had a beginning, and that he will have an end.

We are thus induced to generalize still further, and regard, not only our own system, but the whole material universe when viewed with respect to serviceable energy, as essentially evanescent, and as embracing a succession of physical events which cannot go on for ever as they

are.

But here at length we come to matters beyond our grasp; for physical science cannot inform us what must have been before the beginning, nor yet can it tell us what will take place after the end.

INDEX.

A.

Absorbed Heat. Arts. 123-131, pp. 88-93

Art. 178, p. 128

in its two Forms. Arts. 149-162, pp. 105-118

Action and Reaction, Equal and Opposite. Art. 12, p. 8

Chemical, accompanied by Change of Condition. Art. 167, p. 121

Activity of Molecules. Arts. 10, 11, p. 7

Air and Water in Motion. Art. 203, p. 147

Advantages of Position. Art. 37, p. 26

Affinity, Chemical, force of.

Arts. 70, 71, p. 53

Electricity probably allied to.

Analogy between Heat and Sound. Art. 57, p. 42

[blocks in formation]

Hot and a Sounding Body. Art. 162, p. 118

Ancient Ideas not Prolific. Arts. 187, 188, p. 135

Animal a Delicately-constructed Machine. Art. 221, p. 160

Animals and Inanimate Machines, Difference between. Art. 229, p. 165
Arguments derived from Rumford's and Davy's Experiments.

53-55, p. 39

Aristotle on a Medium. Art. 186, p. 134

Army, Life like the Commander of an. Arts. 222-226, p. 171

Arts.

Atmosphere, Resistance and Buoyancy of, disregarded. Art. 30, p. 20

Atoms and Molecules Defined. Arts. 68, 69, p. 51

Democritus on. Art. 185, p. 133

Atomic and Molecular Force, Remarks on. Arts. 72-78, p. 51

Forces, how influenced by Heat. Art. 76, p. 58

or Chemical Separation. Art. 111, p. 80

Attraction of Currents. Art. 173, p. 124

B.

Backward and Forward Motion, Heat a.
Bacon on Heat. Art. 190, p. 137
Bacon's Remarks. Art. 185, p. 134
Battery Current, Direction of.

Decomposition by the.

Arts. 56, 57, pp. 41, 42

Arts. 94, 95, p. 71

Art. 177, p. 127

Poles of a. Art. 92, p. 71

Voltaic, the. Art. 169, 170, p. 123

Buoyancy and Resistance of Atmosphere disregarded. Art. 30, p. 20

C.

Carnot on Power of Heat. Art. 149, p. 106

Change into Heat of Mechanical Energy. Cap. 2, Arts. 34-63, pp. 23–47
of State. Art. 157, p. 112

Condition accompanies Chemical Action. Art. 167, p. 121

Chemical Action accompanied by Change of Condition. Art. 167, p. 121
Affinity, Force of. Arts. 70, 71, p. 53

Electricity probably allied to. Art. 84, p. 64

Effect of Current. Art. 99, p. 74

Instability. Art. 215, p. 156

or Atomic Separation. Art. 111, p. 80

Separation. Art. 159, p. 114

Arts. 163-170, pp. 118-123

Art. 177, p. 127

Arts. 179-181,

p. 128

[blocks in formation]

Commander of an Army, Life is like the. Arts. 222–226, p. 171
Condition, Change of, accompanies Chemical Action. Art. 167, p. 121
Conditions of Equilibrium. Art. 44, p. 34

Conductors and Nonconductors. Art. 80, p. 61

Connection between Energies and Forces of Nature. Art. 64, p. 48
Conservation, Law of. Arts. 115-120, pp. 82, 83

- Theory of. Art. 194, p. 140

Cross-bow, a bent. Art. 36,

p. 25

Current, Chemical Effect of. Art. 99, p. 74

Heating Effect of.

Induction of. Art.
Magnetic Effect of.

Art. 98, p. 73

102-105, p. 75

Arts. 96, 97, p. 72

of Electricity. Arts. 140-143, p. 99

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