sulphur and phosphorus, in their real being, are pure functions, and
where they occur as physical substances, there we meet these functions
in their congealed state.

One of the characteristics of the volcanic regions of the earth is the
healing effect of substances found there. Fango-mud, for instance,
which was mentioned in the last chapter, is a much-used remedy against
rheumatism. This is typical of functional sulphur. We may truly
characterize the earth's volcanism as being qualitatively sulphurous.
It is the sulphur-function coming to expression through a higher degree
of 'moistness' in the relationship between gravity and levity which
distinguishes volcanic regions from the rest of the otherwise 'dry'
earth's crust.

*

To develop a corresponding picture of the function of phosphorus, we
must try to find the macrotelluric sphere where this function operates
similarly to that of sulphur in volcanism. From what has been said in
the last chapter it will be evident that we must look to the
atmosphere, as the site of snow-formation. It is this process which we
must now examine more closely.

In the atmosphere, to begin with, we find water in a state of vapour,
in which the influence of the terrestrial gravity-field is
comparatively weak. Floating in this state, the vapour condenses and
crystallization proceeds. Obeying the pull of gravity, more and more
crystals unite in their descent and gradually form flakes of varying
sizes. The nearer they come to earth, the closer they fall, until at
last on the ground they form an unbroken, more or less spherical,