ACTIONS OF LIVING MATTER. 



73 



ACTIONS CHARACTERIZING EVERY KIND OF 



LIVING MATTER, BUT NEVER OCCURRING IN ANY 



FORM OF NON-LIVING MATTER. 



Let us now proceed to inquire whether there are any 

 characters or phenomena which are common to all kinds of 

 matter that lives, and manifested by this only. All living 

 matter grows, and moves, and forms, of its own accord, while 

 non-living matter cannot be made to do any of these 

 things. Hence it is fair to say that growth, spontaneous 

 movement, and formation are vital phenomena. We cannot 

 at present conceive of life without a capacity for these phe- 

 nomena. The actions may remain dormant for a time, but 

 when circumstances are favourable, they manifest themselves 

 very distinctly. Although in many cases these vital pheno- 

 mena may be hidden and obscured by very evident physical 

 and chemical changes, we shall invariably find evidence of 

 them. By tracing the various actions in living beings 

 towards their source, we shall always find that these vital 

 actions underlie the rest, and contribute in a most important 

 measure to the results we are able to observe, study, and 

 investigate. And as neither growth, spontaneous move- 

 ment, nor formation, have been imitated artificially, or known 

 to occur in non-living matter, or proved to result from 

 physical actions, I attribute these phenomena to vitality, 

 or vital power or force, or to life, until a more satisfactory 

 explanation shall be discovered. 



I regard this " vitality " as a power of a peculiar kind. 



