The Spirits' Book

Allan Kardec

Back to the menu
33. Can the same elementary matter undergo all possible changes and acquire all properties? “Yes, and it is this fact that is implied in the saying ‘everything is in everything.’” (1)

Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, and all the other masses that we see as elements are merely variations of one primordial substance. As we have found it impossible to arrive at this elemental matter other than as an intellectual deduction, they appear to be elementary. We may therefore continue to regard them as such for now.

a) This theory appears to support the opinion of those who acknowledge only two essential properties in matter, force and movement, and who regard all other properties of matter as purely secondary effects, varying according to the intensity of the force and direction of movement.
“This opinion is exact. We must also add according to molecular arrangement, for instance, in an opaque body that may become transparent and vice versa.”



______________________________________________
(1) This principle explains the phenomenon known by all magnetizers and that consists in giving radically different properties to any substance, such as a specifc taste to water, and even the active qualities of other substances. Since there is only one primordial element, and the properties of different bodies are only variations of this element, the most inoffensive substance has the same foundation as the most noxious. Water, which is one part oxygen and two parts hydrogen, becomes corrosive when someone doubles the proportion of oxygen. A similar transformation may occur by the magnetic action directed by the will. A.K.

Related articles

Show related items