Band 2 Anthropogenesis - H.P. Blavatsky

dissociated matter in the critical state, surrounded, first, by a flaming envelope, due to the recombination of the
dissociated matter, and outside of this, by another envelope of vapours due to this combination."
This is a novel theory to be added to other hypotheses, all scientific and orthodox. The meaning of the "critical state" is
explained by Mr. M. Williams in the same journal (Dec. 9, 1881), in an article on "Solids, Liquids, and Gases." Speaking of
an experiment by Dr. Andrews on carbonic acid, the scientist says that "when 88 [[degrees]] is reached, the boundary
between liquid and gas vanished; liquid and gas have blended into one mysterious intermediate fluid; an indefinite
fluctuating something is there filling the whole of the tube -- an etherealised liquid or a visible gas. Hold a red-hot poker
between your eye and the light; you will see an upflowing wave of movement of what appears like liquid air. The
appearance of the hybrid fluid in the tube resembles this, but is sensibly denser, and evidently stands between the liquid
and gaseous states of matter, as pitch or treacle stands between solid and liquid."
The temperature at which this occurs has been named by Dr. Andrews the "critical temperature"; here the gaseous and
the liquid states are "continuous," and it is probable that all other substances capable of existing in both states have their
own particular critical temperatures.
Speculating further upon this "critical" state, Mr. Mattieu Williams emits some quite occult theories about Jupiter and other
planets. He says: "Our notions of solids, liquids, and gases are derived from our experiences of the state of matter here
upon this Earth. Could we be removed to another planet, they would be curiously changed. On Mercury water would rank
as one of the condensible gases; on Mars, as a fusible solid; but what on Jupiter?"
"Recent observations justify us in regarding this as a miniature sun, with an external envelope of cloudy matter,
apparently of partially-condensed water, but red-hot, or probably still hotter within. His vaporous atmosphere is evidently
of enormous depth, and the force of gravitation being on his visible outer surface two-and-a-half [[Footnote continued on
next page]]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Vol. 2, Page]] 137 EGYPTIAN BELIEF.
has all the weight of scientific testimony."* And there is more than one such tradition in the Puranic allegories, as has
been shown. Moreover, the doctrine that the first Race of mankind was formed out of the chhayas (astral images) of the
Pitris, is fully corroborated in the Zohar. "In the Tzalam (shadow image) of Elohim (the Pitris), was made Adam (man).
(Cremona, Ed. iii., 76a; Brody, Ed. iii., 159a; "Qabbalah," Isaac Myer, p. 420.)
It has been repeatedly urged as an objection that, however high the degree of metaphysical thought in ancient India, yet
the old Egyptians had nothing but crass idolatry and zoolatry to boast of; Hermes, as alleged, being the work of mystic
Greeks who lived in Egypt. To this, one answer can be given -- a direct proof that the Egyptians believed in the Secret
Doctrine is, that it was taught to them at Initiation. Let the objectors open the "Eclogae Physicae et Ethicae" of Stobaeus,
the Greek compiler of ancient fragments, who lived in the fifth century, A.D. The following is a transcription by him of an
old Hermetic fragment, showing the Egyptian theory of the Soul. Translated word for word, it says:--
"From one Soul, that of ALL, spring all the Souls, which spread themselves as if purposely distributed through the world.
These souls undergo many transformations; those which are already creeping creatures turn into aquatic animals; from
these aquatic animals are derived land animals; and from the latter the birds. From the beings who live aloft in the air
(heaven) men are born. On reaching that
[[Footnote(s)]] -------------------------------------------------
[[Footnote continued from previous page]] times greater than that on our Earth's surface, the atmospheric pressure, in
descending below this visible surface, must soon reach that at which the vapour of water would be brought to its critical
condition. Therefore we may infer that the oceans of Jupiter are neither of frozen, liquid, nor gaseous water, but are
oceans or atmospheres of critical water. If any fish or birds swim or fly therein, they must be very critically organized."
As the whole mass of Jupiter is 300 times greater than that of the Earth, and its compressing energy towards the centre
proportional to this, its materials, if similar to those of the Earth, and no hotter, would be considerably more dense, and
the whole planet would have a higher specific gravity; but we know by the movement of its satellites that, instead of this,
its specific gravity is less than a fourth of that of the Earth. This justifies the conclusion that it is intensely hot; for even
hydrogen, if cold, would become denser than Jupiter under such pressure.
"As all elementary substances may exist as solids, liquids, or gases, or, critically, according to the conditions of
temperature and pressure, I am justified in hypothetically concluding that Jupiter is neither a solid, a liquid, nor a gaseous
planet, but a critical planet, or an orb composed internally of associated elements in the critical state, and surrounded by
a dense atmosphere of their vapours and those of some of their compounds such as water. The same reasoning applies
to Saturn and other large and rarified planets."
It is gratifying to see how scientific imagination approaches every year more closely to the borderland of our occult
teachings.
* "The Day After Death," p. 23.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Vol. 2, Page]] 138 THE SECRET DOCTRINE.
status of men, the Souls receive the principle of (conscious) immortality, become Spirits, then pass into the choir of gods."
--------