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action which you suppress in your formulas；thus rendering those
formulas false in relation to substances taken as a whole。 Hence the
constant destruction of the monuments of human labor； which you
supply； unknown to yourselves； with acting properties。 Nature has
substances； your science combines only their appearances。 At every
step Nature gives the lie to all your laws。 Can you find a single one
that is not disproved by a fact？ Your Static laws are at the mercy of
a thousand accidents； a fluid can overthrow a solid mountain and prove
that the heaviest substances may be lifted by one that is
imponderable。
〃Your laws on Acoustics and Optics are defied by the sounds which you
hear within yourselves in sleep； and by the light of an electric sun
whose rays often overcome you。 You know no more how light makes itself
seen within you； than you know the simple and natural process which
changes it on the throats of tropic birds to rubies； sapphires；
emeralds； and opals； or keeps it gray and brown on the breasts of the
same birds under the cloudy skies of Europe； or whitens it here in the
bosom of our polar Nature。 You know not how to decide whether color is
a faculty with which all substances are endowed； or an effect produced
by an effluence of light。 You admit the saltness of the sea without
being able to prove that the water is salt at its greatest depth。 You
recognize the existence of various substances which span what you
think to be the void；substances which are not tangible under any of
the forms assumed by Matter； although they put themselves in harmony
with Matter in spite of every obstacle。
〃All this being so； you believe in the results of Chemistry； although
that science still knows no way of gauging the changes produced by the
flux and reflux of substances which come and go across your crystals
and your instruments on the impalpable filaments of heat or light
conducted and projected by the affinities of metal or vitrified flint。
You obtain none but dead substances； from which you have driven the
unknown force that holds in check the decomposition of all things here
below； and of which cohesion； attraction； vibration； and polarity are
but phenomena。 Life is the thought of substances； bodies are only the
means of fixing life and holding it to its way。 If bodies were beings
living of themselves they would be Cause itself； and could not die。
〃When a man discovers the results of the general movement； which is
shared by all creations according to their faculty of absorption； you
proclaim him mighty in science； as though genius consisted in
explaining a thing that is！ Genius ought to cast its eyes beyond
effects。 Your men of science would laugh if you said to them： 'There
exist such positive relations between two human beings； one of whom
may be here； and the other in Java； that they can at the same instant
feel the same sensation； and be conscious of so doing； they can
question each other and reply without mistake'； and yet there are
mineral substances which exhibit sympathies as far off from each other
as those of which I speak。 You believe in the power of the electricity
which you find in the magnet and you deny that which emanates from the
soul！ According to you； the moon； whose influence upon the tides you
think fixed； has none whatever upon the winds； nor upon navigation；
nor upon men； she moves the sea； but she must not affect the sick
folk； she has undeniable relations with one half of humanity； and
nothing at all to do with the other half。 These are your vaunted
certainties！
〃Let us go a step further。 You believe in physics。 But your physics
begin； like the Catholic religion； with an ACT OF FAITH。 Do they not
pre…suppose some external force distinct from substance to which it
communicates motion？ You see its effects； but what is it？ where is it？
what is the essence of its nature； its life？ has it any limits？and
yet； you deny God！
〃Thus； the majority of your scientific axioms； true to their relation
to man； are false in relation to the Great Whole。 Science is One； but
you have divided it。 To know the real meaning of the laws of phenomena
must we not know the correlations which exist between phenomena and
the law of the Whole？ There is； in all things； an appearance which
strikes your senses； under that appearance stirs a soul； a body is
there and a faculty is there。 Where do you teach the study of the
relations which bind things to each other？ Nowhere。 Consequently you
have nothing positive。 Your strongest certainties rest upon the
analysis of material forms whose essence you persistently ignore。
〃There is a Higher Knowledge of which； too late； some men obtain a
glimpse； though they dare not avow it。 Such men comprehend the
necessity of considering substances not merely in their mathematical
properties but also in their entirety； in their occult relations and
affinities。 The greatest man among you divined； in his latter days；
that all was reciprocally cause and effect； that the visible worlds
were co…ordinated among themselves and subject to worlds invisible。 He
groaned at the recollection of having tried to establish fixed
precepts。 Counting up his worlds； like grape…seeds scattered through
ether； he had explained their coherence by the laws of planetary and
molecular attraction。 You bowed before that man of sciencewell！ I
tell you that he died in despair。 By supposing that the centrifugal
and centripetal forces； which he had invented to explain to himself
the universe； were equal； he stopped the universe； yet he admitted
motion in an indeterminate sense； but supposing those forces unequal；
then utter confusion of the planetary system ensued。 His laws
therefore were not absolute； some higher problem existed than the
principle on which his false glory rested。 The connection of the stars
with one another and the centripetal action of their internal motion
did not deter him from seeking the parent stalk on which his clusters
hung。 Alas； poor man！ the more he widened space the heavier his burden
grew。 He told you how there came to be equilibrium among the parts；
but whither went the whole？ His mind contemplated the vast extent；
illimitable to human eyes； filled with those groups of worlds a mere
fraction of which is all our telescopes can reach； but whose immensity
is revealed by the rapidity of light。 This sublime contemplation
enabled him to perceive myriads of worlds； planted in space like
flowers in a field； which are born like infants； grow like men； die as
the aged die； and live by assimilating from their atmosphere the
substances suitable for their nourishment；having a centre and a
principal of life； guaranteeing to each other their circuits； absorbed
and absorbing like plants； and forming a vast Whole endowed with life
and possessing a destiny。
〃At that sight your man of science trembled！ He knew that life is
produced by the union of the thing and its principle； that death or
inertia