LIVING AND FORMED MATTER. 33 



convinced of the importance of this distinction, and it was 

 proved that the matter coloured, which had been considered 

 by many authors to be of little importance, was really in 

 the living, active, growing state. Upon it all growth, multi- 

 plication, conversion, formation, and in short life depends. 

 And in many instances when death occurred, the matter in 

 the first state alone changed, while the last remained un- 

 altered. The first was alone capable of dying, for, in fact, 

 this only had been alive. On the other hand, the matter 

 in the second condition, although it may possess very re- 

 markable properties, and have a highly complex chemical 

 composition never grows or multiplies. It never converts or 

 forms. New matter may be added to it, but it cannot con- 

 vert matter of itself. In short it does not live. 



Lastly, facts and arguments were advanced which showed 

 that all matter in the last or formed state was once in the 

 first or living state, so that the properties it acquired and 

 the characters it possessed as formed matter were to be 

 attributed to the changes which had been brought about 

 while the matter existed in the antecedent or living state. 



There is reason to think that not even the smallest 

 living particle seen under the i~5oth of an inch objective 

 consists of matter in the same state in every part, for it 

 consists of i, living matter; 2, matter formed from this; 

 and 3, pabulum, which i takes up. 



The matter in the first state is alone concerned in develop- 

 ment, and the production of those materials which ultimately 

 take the form of tissue, secretion, deposit, as the case may be. 

 It alone possesses the power of growth and of producing 

 matter like itself out of materials differing from it entirely 



D 



