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WHAT EVIL IS.

appearances which these two presented to us respectively, were not caused by any difference in the sun's light that shone upon them: that was precisely the same. The difference in their appearance, then,—the one being sparkling and beautiful, the other dark and ugly—was simply the effect of the difference in the nature and structure of the two recipient objects. Nay, we may say, that it was not necessarily caused even by a difference in their constituent particles, but only by a difference in the arrangement or order of those particles—a difference in the organization of the substances. A diamond, for instance, is, as we know, pure carbon: charcoal is the same. "The diamond," says chemical science, "is pure carbon, and differs from charcoal (leaving out of question its trifling impurieties) only in the arrangement of its molecules." Now, here is a very striking natural fact: two objects of precisely the same constituent substance, and differing only in the arrangement of the particles which compose that substance, yet, in consequence of that difference, present appearances in the highest degree contrasted and opposite—the one being transparent, brilliant, and white,—the other opaque and black. Such. is the power of arrangement merely: such is the wondrous effect of difference simply in organization or order, the constituent substances being absolutely the same. Nor is the difference confined to a passing appearance merely: but the current values of the two things among men are at similar extremes: the one being accounted of the highest price, and sometimes almost priceless,—the other of little value, comparatively worthless. We might fancy the molecules of a piece of charcoal, calling out, in their envy, to