to silicia, a mineral, the inner substance being but a tiny speck of plasm, similar to that of the substance of a plant cell. And then we may look to the tiny bit of chalk dust which was once the skeleton-form of a living creature. The same is true of coral. In the very low forms of life, the skeleton, or form, is the thing most apparent, the plasm of "living substance" being still smaller, and less apparent. And yet, the skeleton, or shell, was formed by the vital processes of the creature, and was a part of its "body," just as is the skeleton or bony structure of the higher animals. And, in the same sense it is "living substance." And, remember, that there is but little difference between these "bodies" of the low forms of life, and the bodies of crystals. And the chemical constituents of its plasmic inner body is but slightly different from that of the crystals. And its nature and vital process are by a shade higher in the scale than those of the crystals.
You may ask why we have said so much of Crystals. The reason is just this – Science has begun to think of Crystals as semi-living things, and its most advanced investigators and thinkers go further and assert that "the Crystals are alive – Crystallization is an evidence of life process."
Crystals arrange themselves in well-known and well-defined shapes, direction and order of formation being observed implicitly. Each crystal follows the laws and habits of its kind, just as do plants and animals. Its lines of crystallization are mathematically perfect, and according to the laws of its being. Not only this, but some substances have a range of six or seven different forms of crystal-forms possible to them. In some cases a chemical element assumes one form of crystallization when it manifests as one mineral, and a second form when it manifests in another form – in each case however, it manifests along well-known and recognized courses of action, movement, and shapes.
Crystals may be "killed" by a strong electrical discharge – that is, they are so affected that they disintegrate, their atoms separating to form new combinations, just as is the case with the "bodies" of higher forms of life. Some scientists have gone so far as to claim that they had discovered something akin to rudimentary sex-action in certain crystals, resembling the sex-process of the lowest plant-life. But this has not, as yet, been positively established, although it seems probable and reasonable. A recent writer in one of the magazines has said, "Crystallization, as we are to learn now, is not a mere mechanical grouping of dead atoms. It is a birth." This may seem mere "scientific poetry" until the process of crystallization is carefully studied, when it will be seen to give evidence, not only of something like vital and mental action, but also something very much like reproductive functioning of the lower forms of "life."
There is an "assimilation" of material to build up the crystal in the first place, just as an animal assimilates matter to build up its shell – or a tree to form its bark. The "form" of the crystal is truly its "body," and behind and in that body there is "something at work" that is not the body, but which is forming it. And, later on, that crystal increases in size, and then begins to separate into two, throwing off a smaller crystal, identical in form with the parent crystal. This manner of reproduction is almost identical with the process of reproduction in the lower forms of "life," which consist merely of a like separation of the parent form into two, and the throwing off of the offspring.
The principal difference between the growth of crystals and of the Monera, is that the Crystals grow by absorbing fresh matter and attaching it to their outer surface, while the Monera grow by absorbing fresh material and growing outwardly, from within. But this may be accounted for by the difference in the density of their bodies, the Crystal being very solid, while the Monera is like a thin jelly. If the Crystal had a soft interior, it could grow like the Monera or Diatom, but then it would be a Diatom.
The process of crystallization is accountable only by the theory that in the crystal there exists something like life and Mentation. There is something more than mere "mechanical motion," or blind chance at work here. Does not the process of crystallization look like rudimentary purposive action? It may be said that it is movement and action in accordance with some established "Law of Nature" – granted, but is not that also true of the physical processes and growth of higher forms of life? Is the forming of the Crystal-form to be considered as a "mechanical effect," and the forming of the "shell" of the Monera to be considered a "mental and vital action?" If so, wherefore?
The point is that Crystals act as if they are "alive," and capable of assimilation, growth, and reproduction, in a manner and degree differing but very slightly from corresponding functioning of the lower forms of "life." Verily the Crystals are "alive" – and if alive they must have at least a trace of "Mind." Does it not appear that they exhibit something very like both? Quoting from a recent writer, let us notice that: "Recent investigations in the new department of science, which has been termed 'plasmology,' show in crystals phenomena which are absolutely analogous to vital phenomena – so much so that photographs of certain forms produced in the changes of crystals appear to be almost exact duplicates of those in the various lower forms of microbes. The question has been raised as to whether the microbe is no more alive than the crystal, or the latter equally endowed with life as is the former."
And now another step, in our search for Life. Remember, that the hardest rocks are composed of crystals of certain kinds. And, if the higher crystals have Life, then it is only fair to suppose that the lower and cruder forms are likewise endowed, even if in a still lower degree. And if all crystals are endowed with Life, then the most solid rocks, being composed of aggregations of crystals must be masses of Inorganic Life – and consequently, of Inorganic Mind. A Crystal, according to Webster, is "the regular form, bounded by plane surfaces, which a substance tends to assume in solidifying, through the inherent powers of cohesive attraction."
That definition of Webster tells the whole story, and we see that a "Crystal" is merely a "regular form" of a "Substance," which the substance "tends to assume in solidifying" – that is in re-assuming a solid form after being in a liquid or melted state, and that is just what all the rocks of the earth did when they emerged from the melted state in which they existed in the early days of the world's history. And this "tendency" that caused them to solidify, and assume certain crystal forms, and which must have existed potentially through the melted state – what of that, what is this "tendency" or force. The definition answers: "the inherent powers of cohesive attraction."
So, here is "Cohesive Attraction," that we shall consider fully in forthcoming chapters of this book. "Inherent," too, the definition says. What is "Inherent?" Let us see, Webster defines "Inherent" as "permanently existing." So this power of Cohesive Attraction "permanently existed" in the Substance or else in connection with it. Let us take another look at Cohesive Attraction.
Cohesive Attraction is that form of Universal Attraction that causes the Molecules of a body to draw together – that "invisible power of" the Molecule, by which it draws another Molecule toward itself, and itself toward the other, the manifestation of which power by several Molecules tends to draw each of them together. (We shall learn of these particles of Substance called Molecules before long.) It is a primal cause of Motion, this mutual Attraction, and drawing-power. Now is it reasonable to suppose that this wonderful "power" is a mere blind-force? Is it not more reasonable to think of it as a form of vital-action – life-action? "Dead" things could not manifest this force and action.
And if this Cohesive Attraction is an evidence of Life, then all substance must have Life manifesting through it. Not only the rocks, but the soil and earth and dirt, for they are but crumbled rock.
And, when we thus consider Substance, as being the "body" through which Life is Manifesting, we must not lose sight of the Molecules and Atoms, in our consideration of the Mass. A bit of rock; crystal; or dirt; is but an aggregation of countless Molecules, grouped together in certain crystallized shapes and forms, each having characteristics of its own. These Molecules cling together, in accordance with their mutual Attractive powers.
And each of these Molecules is composed of a number of Atoms, which cling together in accordance with Chemical Affinity, or Chemism – but which is but another name for Attraction, or Cohesion – and which form a little family,
