Page 35 (part 4)

Science will be as far from the solution of its difficulties as it is now, unless it comes to some compromise with Occultism and even with Alchemy -- which supposition will be regarded as an impertinence, but remains a fact, nevertheless. As Faye says: " Il manque quelque chose aux geologues pour faire la geologie de la Lune , c ' est d ' etre astronomes. A la verite il manque aussi quelquechose aux astronomes pour aborder avec fruit cette etude , c ' est d ' etre geologues. " But he might have added, with still more pointedness, " Ce qui manque a tous les deux , c ' est l ' intuition du mystique. " Let us remember Sir William Grove's wise "concluding remarks," on the ultimate structure of matter, or the minutiae of molecular actions, which, he thought, man will never know. "Much harm has already been done by attempting hypothetically to dissect matter and to discuss the shapes, sizes, and numbers of atoms, and their atmospheres of heat, ether, or electricity. . . . . Whether the regarding electricity, light, magnetism, etc., as simply motions of ordinary matter, be or be not admissible, certain it is that all past theories have resolved, and all existing theories do resolve, the action of these forces into motion. Whether it be that, on account of our familiarity with motion, we refer other affections to it, as to a language which is most easily construed, and most capable of [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * When read in a fair and unprejudiced spirit, Sir Isaac Newton's works are an ever ready witness to show how he must have hesitated between gravitation and attraction, impulse and some other unknown cause to explain the regular course of the planetary motion. But see Treatise on Colour (Vol. III., question 31.) We are told by Herschell that Newton left with his successors the duty of drawing all the scientific conclusions from his discovery. How modern Science abused the privilege of building its newest theories upon the law of gravitation, may be realised when one remembers how profoundly religious was that great man. ** The materialistic notion that because, in physics real or sensible motion is impossible in pure space or vacuum , therefore, the eternal MOTION of and in Cosmos (regarded as infinite Space) is a fiction -- only shows once more that such words as "pure space," "pure Being," "the Absolute," etc., of Eastern metaphysics have never been understood in the West. [[Vol. 1, Page]] 497 NEW BOTTLES FOR OLD WINE. explaining them, or whether it be that it is in reality the only mode in which our minds as contra-distinguished from our senses , are able to conceive material agencies , certain it is that since the period at which the mystic notions of spiritual or preternatural powers were applied to account for physical phenomena, all hypotheses framed to explain them have resolved them into MOTION." And then the learned gentleman states a purely occult tenet: -- "The term perpetual motion, which I have not infrequently used in these pages, is itself equivocal. If the doctrines here advanced be well founded, all motion is , in one sense , perpetual. In masses, whose motion is stopped by mutual concussion, heat or motion of the particles is generated; and thus the motion continues, so that if we could venture to extend such thoughts to the universe, we should assume the same amount of motion affecting the same amount of matter for ever."* Thus, supposing attraction or gravitation should be given up in favour of the Sun being a huge magnet -- which is a theory already accepted by some physicists -- a magnet that acts on the planets as attraction is now supposed to do, whereto, or how much farther would it lead the astronomers from where they are now? Not an inch farther. Kepler came to this "curious hypothesis" nearly 300 years ago. He had not discovered the theory of attraction and repulsion in Kosmos, for it was known from the days of Empedocles, the two opposite forces being called by him "hate" and "love" -- which comes to the same thing. But Kepler gave a pretty fair description of cosmic magnetism. That such magnetism exists in nature, is as certain as that gravitation does not; not at any rate, in the way in which it is taught by Science, which never took into consideration the different modes in which the dual Force -- that Occultism calls attraction and repulsion -- may act within our solar system, the earth's atmosphere, and beyond in the Kosmos.** This was proven by Newton himself; for there are many phenomena in our [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * " Correl. Phys. Forces ," p. 173. This is precisely what Occultism maintains, and on the same principle that "where force is made to oppose force, and produce static equilibrium, the balance of pre-existing equilibrium is affected, and fresh motion is started equivalent to that which is withdrawn into a state of abeyance." This process finds intervals in the pralaya, but is eternal and ceaseless as the "Breath," even when the manifested Kosmos rests. ** "Trans-solar space," writes the great Humboldt, "does not hitherto show any phenomenon analogous to our solar system. It is a peculiarity of our System, that matter should have condensed within it in nebulous rings, the nuclei of which condense into earths and moons. I say again, heretofore, nothing of the kind has ever been observed beyond our planetary system. " ( See Revue Germanique of the 31st Dec. 1860 , art. " Lettres et conversations d ' Alexandre Humboldt. ") True, that since 1860 the nebular theory has sprung up, and being better known, a few identical phenomena were supposed to be observed beyond the solar system. Yet the great man is quite right; and no earths or moons can be found -- except in appearance -- beyond, or of the same order of matter as found in our system. Such is the Occult teaching. [[Vol. 1, Page]] 498 THE SECRET DOCTRINE. Solar system, which he confessed his inability to explain by the law of gravitation. "Such were the uniformity in the directions of planetary movements, the nearly circular forms of the orbits, and their remarkable conformity to one plane" ( Prof. Winchell ) . And if there is one single exception, then the law of gravitation has no right to be referred to as an universal law. "These adjustments," we are told, "Newton, in his general Scholium, pronounces to be 'the work of an intelligent and all-powerful Being.' " Intelligent that "Being" may be; as to "all-powerful" there would be every reason to doubt the claim. A poor "God" he, who would work upon minor details and leave the most important to secondary forces!