these　are　retained　only　in　immediate　individuality；　and　thus　they　exist　also　as　materials　indifferent　to
  each　other。　Thirdly；　they　are　the　relations　to　the　unbound　elements　and　the　processes　of　the
  individual　body　with　those　elements。
  In　connection　with　the　ancient；　general　idea　that　each　body　consists　of　the　four　elements；　or　with
  the　more　recent　view　of　Paracelsus　that　it　consists　of　mercury　or　liquid；　sulphur　or　oil；　and　salt；　and
  with　many　other　ideas　of　this　kind；　it　is　to　be　remarked　first　that　it　is　easy　to　refute　these　names　if
  one　understands　by　them　only　the　particular　empirical　substances　that　they　primarily　denote。　It　is；
  however；　not　to　be　overlooked　that　these　names　were　meant　much　more　essentially　to　contain　and
  to　express　the　determinations　of　the　concept。　Thus　we　should　rather　wonder　at　the　vehemence
  with　which　thought　recognised　only　its　own　determination　in　such　sensory　things　and　held　fast　to　its
  general　significance。　On　the　other　hand；　such　a　conception　and　determination；　since　it　has　reason
  as　its　source…which　neither　loses　its　way　in　the　sensory　games　of　phenomena　and　their　confusion；
  nor　allows　itself　to　be　brought　to　forget　itself…is　elevated　infinitely　far　above　the　thoughtless
  investigation　and　chaotic　narrative　of　the　bodies'　attributes。　Here　it　is　counted　as　a　service　and
  praiseworthy　to　have　made　yet　another　particular　discovery；　instead　of　referring　the　many
  particulars　back　to　generality　and　the　concept；　and　recognising　the　latter　in　them。
  §　246。
  The　body　individualises：　（a）　the　external　self　of　light　in　its　darkness　into　its　specific　opacity；　colour；
  （b）　air；　as　abstract；　selfless　generality　into　the　simplicity　of　its　specific　process；　or；　as　odour；　is
  rather　the　specific　individuality　of　the　body　in　its　simplicity；　itself　only　as　process；　（c）　water；　the
  abstract　neutrality；　is　individualised　into　the　determinate　neutrality　of　saltiness；　acidity；　and；
  immediately；　into　taste。
  §　247。
  These　particularised　bodies　are；　in　their　general　earthly　totality；　in　the　first　place　only　superficially
  related　to　one　another　and　preserve　their　independence　by　being　isolated　from　each　other。　But　as
  individuals　they　also　stand　in　relation　to　each　other　and；　to　be　sure；　outside　of　the　mechanical
  relationship　as　particular　individualities。
  §　248。
  At　first　these　bodies　relate　to　each　other　as　independent　entities；　but　they　then　become　manifest　as
  a　mechanical　relationship　in　an　ideal　movement；　in　the　internal　reverberation　as　sound。　Now；
  however；　in　real　selfhood；　they　emerge　as　an　electrical　relationship　to　each　other。
  §　249。
  The　being　for　itself　of　these　bodies；　as　it　is　manifested　in　physical　contact；　is　posited　in　each　by　the
  difference　from　the　other。　Thus　this　being　is　not　free；　but　rather　an　antithetical　tension；　in　which；
  however；　it　is　not　the　nature　of　the　body　which　emerges：　only　the　reality　of　its　abstract　self　a　light；
  is　produced　and；　in　fact；　as　a　light　set　in　opposition。　The　suspension　of　the　diremption；　the　other
  moment　of　this　process；　has　an　undifferentiated　light　as　its　product；　which　disappears　immediately
  as　incorporeal。　Apart　from　this　abstract　physical　manifestation；　the　process　has　only　the
  mechanical　effect　of　shaking　as　a　significant　outcome。
  It　is　well…known　that　the　earlier　distinction　between　vitreous　and　resinous　electricity；　determined　as
  a　part　of　sensory　existence；　was　idealised　by　empirical　science　into　the　conceptual　distinction
  between　positive　and　negative　electricity。　This　is　a　remarkable　instance　of　the　way　in　which
  empiricism；　which　initially　attempts　to　grasp　and　retain　generality　in　sensory　form；　suspends　itself。
  Although　there　has　been　much　discussion　recently　of　the　polarisation　of　light；　it　would　have　been
  more　appropriate　to　reserve　this　expression　for　electricity　than　for　the　phenomena　observed　by
  Malus；　where　transparent　media；　reflecting　surfaces；　and　their　various　reciprocal　inclinations；　as
  well　as　a　determinate　corner　of　light；　are　actually　so　many　different　kinds　of　situations；　which
  produces　no　difference　in　light　itself　but　does　show　itself　in　light's　shining。
  The　conditions　under　which　positive　and　negative　electricity　emerge；　in　relation　to　smoother　or
  rougher　surfaces；　for　example；　a　breath　of　air；　and　so　on；　are　proof　of　the　superficiality　of　the
  electrical　process；　and　show　how　little　the　concrete；　physical　nature　of　the　body　enters　into　it。
  Similarly；　the　weak　coloration　of　the　two　electrical　lights；　and　the　smell　and　the　taste　of　them；　show
  only　the　beginning　of　a　physicality　in　the　abstract　self　of　the　light　in　which　the　process　is　maintained。
  Negativity；　the　suspension　of　the　antithetical　tension；　is　mainly　a　shock。　The　self…positing；
  self…identical　self　remains　as　such　and　consistent　in　the　ideal　spheres　of　space；　time；　and
  mechanism。　Light　has　scarcely　begun　to　materialise　itself　as　warmth；　and　the　combustion　which　can
  arise　from　the　〃discharge〃　is　（Berthollet；　Statique　chimique；　part　I；　sect。　III；　not。　XI）　rather　a
  direct　effect　of　shock　than　the　consequences　of　the　realisation　of　light　as　fire。
  Galvanism　is　the　electrical　process　made　permanent；　it　is　permanence　as　the　contact　between　two
  different；　non…brittle　bodies；　which；　as　part　of　their　fluid　nature　（the　〃electrical　conductive　potential〃
  of　metal）；　their　entire　immediate　difference　towards　each　other；　and　the　surface　qualities　of　their
  relationship；　maintain　their　tension　mutually。　The　galvanic　process　occurs　only　through　this
  particular　specificity　of　bodies　of　a　more　concrete　and　corporeal　nature；　and　subsequently
  undergoes　a　transition　to　the　chemical　process。
  §　250。
  The　individuality　of　the　body　is　the　negative　unity　of　the　concept；　which　is　not　self…positing　simply
  as　an　immediate　entity　and　an　unmoved　generality；　but　only　in　the　mediation　of　the　process。　The
  body　is　therefore　a　product；　and　its　shape　a　presupposition；　for　which　the　end　that　it　will　ultimately
  achieve　is　also　presupposed。　The　particularisation　of　the　body；　however；　does　not　stop　at　either
  mere　inert　diversity　or　the　opposition　between　different　attributes　and　their　tension　within　the
  body's　pure　selfhood。　Rather；　since　the　particular　attributes　are　only　the　reality　of　this　simple
  concept；　the　body　of　their　soul；　of　light；　the　entire　corporeality　moves　into　tension　and　the　process
  which　is　the　development　of　the　individual　body；　a　process　of　isolation；　—　the　chemical　process。
  （c）　The　Process　of　Isolation
  §　251。
  The　chemical　process　has　its　products　as　a　presupposition；　and　therefore　begins　（1）　from　the
  immediacy　of　their　presupposition。　In　accord　with　the　concept；　the　particular　body　is　immediate
  insofar　as　its　attributes　or　material　components　are　unified　together　into　a　simple　determination　and
  become　equal　in　the　simplicity　of　specific　gravity；　thickness。　Metals　are　solid；　but　in　terms　of　their
  particularity　become　fluid　and　capable　of　maintaining　a　determinate　difference　towards　each　other。
  §　252。
  The　middle　term；　through　which　the　concept　with　its　reality　unites　these　solid　differences　as　the
  unity　of　both　terms　and　the　essence　of　each　in　itself；　—　posits　the　difference　of　one　with　the
  difference　of　the　other　into　a　unity；　and　therefore　becomes　real　as　the　totality　of　their　concept　—　is
  initially　opposed　to　the　immediate　solidity　of　the　extremes　as　an　abstract　neutrality；　the　element　of
  water。　The　process　itself　is　the　decomposition　of　water　into　opposed　moments　through　the
  presupposed　difference　of　the　extremes；　they　thereby　suspend　their　abstraction　and　complete
  themselves　as　the　unity　of　their　concept。
  §　253。
  The　moments　into　which　water　decomposes　or；　what　amounts　to　the　same　thing；　the　forms　under
  which　it　is　posited；　are　abstract；　because　water　itself　is　only　a　physical　element　and　not　an
  individual　physical　body；　—　the　chemical　elements　of　the　antithesis　are　oxygen　and　hydrogen。　The
  metals；　however；　which　have　been　integrated　in　the　process；　also　receive　only　an　abstract
  integration　from　that　abstract　middle　term；　a　reality　which　is　only　a　positing　of　their　difference；　an
  oxide。
  The　condition　of　lime　as　an　oxide　lies　closest　to　the　condition　of　metals；　due　to　the　inner
  indifference　of　their　solid　nature。　But　nature's　inability　to　hold　on　to　the　specific　concept　also　allows
  individual　metals　to　change　so　far　in　the　opposite　direction　that　their　oxide　immediately　comes　to
  resemble　acids。　It　is　well　known　that　chemistry　can　portray；　as　amalgamations　at　least；　the　metallic
  components　of　lime　and　potash；　but　also　ammonia；　strontium；　barytes；　and　indeed；　even　of
  different　soils；　and　thereby　depict　these　bodies　as　oxides。　To　be　sure；　the　chemical　elements　are
  such　abstractions　that　when　they　are　in　the　form　of　gases；　in　which　they　become　manifest　for
  themselves；　they　interpenetrate　like　light　and；　notwithstanding　their　ponderability；　their　materiality
  and　impenetrabi