ing been irradiated, at its
origin, atomically, into a limited[4] sphere of Space, from one,
individual, unconditional, irrelative, and absolute Particle Proper, by
the sole process in which it was possible to satisfy, at the same time,
the two conditions, irradiation, and generally-equable distribution
throughout the sphere--that is to say, by a force varying in direct
proportion with the squares of the distances between the irradiated
atoms, respectively, and the Particular centre of Irradiation_.

[4] Limited sphere--A sphere is _necessarily_ limited. I prefer
tautology to a chance of misconception.

I have already given my reasons for presuming Matter to have been
diffused by a determinate rather than by a continuous or infinitely
continued force. Supposing a continuous force, we should be unable, in
the first place, to comprehend a reaction at all; and we should be
required, in the second place, to entertain the impossible conception of
an infinite extension of Matter. Not to dwell upon the impossibility of
the conception, the infinite extension of Matter is an idea which, if
not positively disproved, is at least not in any respect warranted by
telescopic observation of the stars--a point to be explained more fully
hereafter; and this empirical reason for believing in the original
finity of Matter is unempirically confirmed. For example:--Admitting, for
the moment, the possibility of understanding Space _filled_ with the
irradiated atoms--that is to say, admitting, as well as we can, for
argument's sake, that the succession of the irradiated atoms had
absolutely _no end_--then it is abundantly clear that, even when the
Volition of God had been withdrawn from them, and thus the tendency to
return into Unity permitted (abstractly) to be satisfied, this
permission would have been nugatory and invalid--practically valueless
and of no effect whatever. No Reaction could have taken place; no
movement toward Unity could have been made; no Law of Gravity could have
obtained.

To explain:--Grant the _abstract_ tendency of any one atom to any one
other as the inevitable result of diffusion from the normal Unity:--or,
what is the same thing, admit any given atom as _proposing_ to move in
any given direction--it is clear that, since there is an _infinity_ of
atoms on all sides of the atom proposing to move, it never can actually
move toward the satisfaction of its tendency in the direction given, on
account of a prec