That most immediate stamp of our thoughts, language, shows us therefore, that every inward impulse must neces sarily be conceived as volition ; but it by no means ascribes knowledge to things as well. The agreement on this point between all languages, perhaps without a single exception, proves that here we have to do with no mere figure of speech, but that the verbal expression is determined by a deeply-rooted feeling of the inner nature of things. du mttal pour Voxygtne" (See Paul de Remusat, " La Chimie a 1 Ex- position." " L Aluminium," " Revue des Deux Mondes," 1855, p. 649). Vaninus ("De Amirandis Naturae Arcanis," p. 170) had said: " Argentum vivum etiam in aqua, conglobatur, quemadmodum et in plumbi scobe etiam: at a scobe non refugit (this is directed against an opinion expressed by Cardanus) imo ex ea quantum potest colligit : quod nequit (scil. colligere), ut censeo, invitum relinquit: natura enim et sua appetit, et vorat." This is evidently more than a form of words. He here quite decidedly attributes a will to quicksilver. And thus it will invariably be found that where, in physical and chemical processes, there is a reference to elementary forces of Nature and to the primary qualities of bodies which cannot be further deduced, these are always expressed by words which belong to the will and its manifestations. [Add. to 3rd ed.]
