DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1233#0056
MAN VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.
of the soul over the higher part of the etheric
matter is not yet perfectly developed. It wil
be noticed also that there is a small point of
red, showing that a certain amount of conscious-
ness is already working though astral matter—
that is to say, that a certain amount of desire is
already manifesting itself.
It may seem strange to many people to spea
of desire in connection with the mineral
kingdom; but every chemist knows that in
chemical affinity we have already a very distinct
manifestation of preference on the part of various
so-called elements; and what is that but a
commencement of desire ? One element has so
strong a desire for the company of another that
it will instantly forsake, in order to join it, any
other substance with which it may happen to be
in association. Indeed, it is by means of our
knowledge of these likes and dislikes of the
various elements that we obtain various gases
when we want them. For example, oxygen and
hydrogen are combined in water, but if we throw
sodium into the water we shall find that oxygen
likes sodium better than hydrogen, and promptly
deserts the latter to combine with the former ;
so we have a compound called sodium hydroxide
instead of water, and the released hydrogen
escapes. Or if we put some zinc filings into
diluted hydrochloric acid (which is hydrogen
of the soul over the higher part of the etheric
matter is not yet perfectly developed. It wil
be noticed also that there is a small point of
red, showing that a certain amount of conscious-
ness is already working though astral matter—
that is to say, that a certain amount of desire is
already manifesting itself.
It may seem strange to many people to spea
of desire in connection with the mineral
kingdom; but every chemist knows that in
chemical affinity we have already a very distinct
manifestation of preference on the part of various
so-called elements; and what is that but a
commencement of desire ? One element has so
strong a desire for the company of another that
it will instantly forsake, in order to join it, any
other substance with which it may happen to be
in association. Indeed, it is by means of our
knowledge of these likes and dislikes of the
various elements that we obtain various gases
when we want them. For example, oxygen and
hydrogen are combined in water, but if we throw
sodium into the water we shall find that oxygen
likes sodium better than hydrogen, and promptly
deserts the latter to combine with the former ;
so we have a compound called sodium hydroxide
instead of water, and the released hydrogen
escapes. Or if we put some zinc filings into
diluted hydrochloric acid (which is hydrogen