the medicative forces of nature are due to the vital instinct, and the perturbing forces to the sensual or orectic (Anthrop., §§ 401, 414). The table on the preceding page will show the various functions of the vital and sensual instincts.

136.

and term

animal

single

being.

The union of the animal principle with its Principle corporeal term is so close that the one is incon- in the ceivable without the other, and therefore, although form a the one is not the other, but, on the contrary, is opposed to the other, the two form one being, one animated whole, and when we make the term a being apart or entirely separate, it is nothing more than a mere product of abstraction.

137.

kinds of

the animal

sponding

to three

Nevertheless, in the term of the animal, we Three must distinguish three things, which give occa- feeling in sion to three kinds of feeling: first, the corporeal corre continuous-the term of the feeling of the corporeally extended; second, the internal movement conditions of atoms or molecules, or of parts of the corporeally extended-term of the feeling of excitation; and, third, the harmonious continuation of said movement-term of the organic feeling.

In regard to the Feeling of Continuity, Rosmini says, "If we imagine a single element of matter, extended and perfectly hard, as we suppose the first elements to be, then, even although such an element were to fall under our senses (which it certainly never could on account of its smallness), it would give no sign of life, because it would be unable to

of the sensible term.

give to itself, or to receive within it, any movement. At the same time, its sentient principle would be simple; the term of this principle would be the minute space determined by the element. In this felt term there would be homogeneity and uniformity, supposing the matter of the element in question to be equally dense in all its parts; there would be difference of intensity, supposing the density variable in the different strata or points of the element. In this little life would be found, in its perfection, the characteristic of continuity" (Psychology, vol. i. § 535).

In a note on the above passage, the author says, "This difference of density in a perfectly hard continuous is barely conceivable. . . . If, making another hypothesis, we suppose that in every primitive element there is a kind of centre corresponding to Boscovich's simple points, from which emanates attraction or retention, and that this manifests its effect in a given ratio-for example, in the inverse ratio of the squares of the distances-it is true that the element would be more hard and more dense in proportion as the matter composing it was nearer to the centre ; nevertheless, it will remain true that, if these elements are supposed of a given minimum size, they will in every part be so dense and so hard as to be indivisible by any external force, and, therefore, real atoms (physically indivisible). It is easy to understand the necessity of this effect when we consider that, at the smallest distances, attraction increases with a progression that surpasses all imagination, and in comparison with which mechanical forces are almost infinitesimal, while forces can be externally applied to the atom only to the most limited extent, on account of its smallness and lightness. In like manner, the physical and chemical forces are almost nothing, that is, if we suppose them all to operate (as we believe they do) according to the same laws that govern universal attraction, or to present the appearance of so operating. Inasmuch as these forces have to be applied to the atoms from without, the body applied to the atom is more distant from the centre of attraction of the atom than the matter forming the atom, and hence this body must exert a less force upon that matter than the

centre of the atom, supposed to be the centre of attraction. Moreover, if we suppose attraction to act at a distance (a notion irreconcilable with our mode of perception) it can exercise on the atom only that very small force sufficient to attract it; so that, although the whole atom, being as light as it is small, may be attracted by such forces, it can never be rent asunder by them.

"Through the condensation or attracting centre, supposed to exist in the atom, it seems possible to explain why atoms which are in contact with each other (a possible supposition) do not unite so as to become perfectly hard, but may still be sundered. Indeed, if there were not in the interior of the atom various degrees of condensation of matter, it would not be easy, without denying the contact of atoms, as some have done, or having recourse to a repulsive force, which would seem as if it must be derivative, to explain how atoms, although in contact, still remain distinct and separable. If, on the contrary, we suppose condensation of matter to increase towards the centre of the atom, we readily understand how the internal matter can be no further rarefied, and this for the simple reason that near the surface, at which the atoms touch each other, the matter, though continuous and impenetrable, is most rare, and, therefore, cannot condense itself there, being always held with greater force by the dense matter nearest to the centres of the two atoms that are in contact. It remains for the mathematician to submit these postulates to calculation, and to discover how small the primitive elements must be in order that they may be perfectly hard, that is, indivisible and distinct from each other, even admitting them to be in real contact." Difference of density in a continuous seems unthinkable; but difference of intensity of attraction will answer even better the ends of Rosmini's argument.

In regard to the Feeling of Excitation, Rosmini says, “If to the simple animate element [the atom] we add other elements likewise animate, we may readily conceive new phenomena. Let us suppose these elements to be of diverse forms. United together by their own attraction or

retention, they will form various polyhedrons, according to the forms of the elements which unite. If we suppose the forms of the elements regular, there will result regular polyhedrons. But these regular polyhedrons will differ from each other, not only in form, but also in density, and hence in specific gravity. The reason of this will be clear, if we consider that on the variety of form among the primitive combining elements these two accidents depend : (1) Whether the surfaces in contact shall be greater or smaller, and, hence, whether the union of these elements shall be more or less firm.

(2) Whether there shall remain in the interior of the crystals larger or smaller intervals, on which, of course, would depend the greater or less specific gravity of these primitive crystals.

"Let the combining elements be only two. The bination even of the primitive elements must give us molecules having properties different from those of the primitive elements; still more, of course, the ternation, quaternation, etc., of these elements. If we suppose that these first elements, even when they are in contact, do not unite with sufficient force to render the matter between the elements perfectly hard, we shall at once have new accidents. In these molecules the continuous term of feeling, to which corresponds a single sentient principle, is more extended than in that of the primitive elements. It is true that, if the particle were composed of only two or three elements, perpetual motion from within it could never begin, and hence vital movements would never take place. But, if the two or three elements, without separating, are moved by an external impulse, in such a way that their adhering faces slightly rub, then the uniform feeling diffused through said elements must necessarily receive an excitation, and, hence, it is not absurd to suppose that there arises in it a sensation, although this is evidenced by no extra-subjective manifestation. Moreover, if we suppose that the two elements, through the violence exerted on them, no longer have their centres of gravity in the greatest possible proximity, it is not absurd to imagine that they are impelled to restore the

primitive equilibrium of forces, by the activity of the feeling with which they are invested. The feeling diffused through the two elements is one, by reason of their continuity, and as it resists separation, so it tends to unite itself, and, hence, to hold the elements united and inosculated in the greatest possible number of points, through that moment of the organizing functions which we call retention, and of which we shall speak afterwards. Here then, besides the characteristic of continuity, we should have that of excitation; but this would be momentary and accidental, having no system of stimuli succeeding each other, and keeping in continuous, regular and harmonious motion the elements composing the little group supposed." (Psychology, vol. i. §§ 536-540).

The Feeling of Organization Rosmini reaches in the following way :-"In the life of two or three, or, at least, of a few elements united in a single molecule, we have, (1) continuity, (2) possibility of excitation, which are two characteristics of life. But, as the excitation in such a case would depend upon the external force causing the elements, without separating, to slide upon and rub against each other, it would be momentary and would excite only a transient sensation, which the spontaneous activity of the sensitive principle would not be able to continue. It is impossible, therefore, to obtain the external phenomena of animal life, unless the living elements unite in a considerable number, a number sufficient to compose a machine more or less complicated--a machine so cunning in its structure that, through the reciprocal actions of organs, there are produced the stimuli which shall perpetuate the motion and, hence, the excitation of the feeling, so that the feeling, harmonically excited, shall both preserve the continuity of the parts and the unity of the organism, and that this, in its turn, shall excite the feeling and maintain it by its own proper excitation. It is plain, from these considerations, that organization, which itself is produced by feeling, gives occasion to the variety of natural beings and the diverse kinds of phenomena which present themselves to man. Hence

"First, Compounds made up of few elements cannot