Ill 



THE METHOD BY WHICH THE CAUSES OF THE 

 PRESENT AND PAST CONDITIONS OF ORGANIC 

 NATURE ARE TO BE DISCOVERED. THE 

 ORIGINATION OF LIVING BEINGS. 



IN the two preceding lectures I have endeavoured 

 to indicate to you the extent of the subject-matter 

 of the inquiry upon which we are engaged ; and 

 having thus acquired some conception of the past 

 and present phenomena of organic nature, I must 

 now turn to that which constitutes the great prob- 

 lem which we have set before ourselves ; I mean, 

 the question of what knowledge we have of the 

 causes of these phenomena of organic nature, and 

 how such knowledge is obtainable. 



Here, on the threshold of the inquiry, an 

 objection meets us. There are in the world a 

 number of extremely worthy, well-meaning 

 persons, whose judgments and opinions are 

 entitled to the utmost respect on account of 

 their sincerity, who are of opinion that vital 



