VITAL PHENOMENA. 77 



such discussions are therefore futile and out of the province 

 of science. But if this view be accepted we must cease to 

 enquire almost as soon as we have commenced to in- 

 vestigate. In that case the consideration of the growth, 

 formation and action of the simplest being, and of every 

 elementary unit entering into the formation of the tissues 

 of every living creature must be as a sealed book. And 

 it would be absurd to attempt to describe the processes 

 of growth, formation and secretion, as they occur in living 

 beings. The question not only lies at the very root of 

 physiology, but forces itself upon our consideration at every 

 step. It must, therefore, be discussed, and provisional 

 hypotheses may be advanced if only to mark the paths 

 already traversed in the course of our difficult and never- 

 ending exploration. 



That the physical school should try to stop all enquiry 

 at this very point is exactly what might be expected, for 

 the subject is obviously out of the path of physical enquiry, 

 but it by no means, therefore, follows that nothing is to be 

 learnt concerning it. No wonder that those who would 

 have us believe that the highest aspirations of the soul are 

 but manifestations of so many units of force, desire to 

 chain the mind so tightly to the material that it shall 

 no longer exercise one of its remarkable endowments 

 that of stretching towards regions into which the senses 

 cannot penetrate. Is the mind to follow the senses, 

 instead of leading, controlling, and directing them? Are 

 the senses to govern the intellect and to dictate to it the 

 conditions under which it may work ? But even the dis- 

 ciples of the physical school cannot altogether refrain from 



