70 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



sense, however, we may in answer to the oft-put ques- 

 tion reply that Life is a result of organization. Pro- 

 viding only that the c molecular organization ' is of the 

 right kind, it is true enough, as Mr. Lewes intimates, 

 that the two are inseparable. The word c Life' is only 

 a generalized expression signifying the sum-total of the 

 properties of matter possessing such an organization. 

 And matter is, as we have before agreed, inseparable 

 from its properties. 



This brings us at last to the question of the defini- 

 tion of Life. We will say only a very few words on 

 this subject before alluding to some of the numerous 

 attempts that have been made in this direction, and 

 to the degree of success with which they have been 

 attended. 



The word c Life' is merely an abstract name for 

 those sets of attributes or force-manifestations of living 

 beings which are usually spoken of as c vital pheno- 

 mena.' The word itself, however, corresponds only 

 with a mere mental conception : we have observed that 

 a number of things (by common consent looked upon 

 as living beings, whether animal or vegetable) always 

 present a certain set of phenomena or qualities, and in 

 order to express our conception of these in their gene- 

 rality we employ the word c Life.' Just as, to take a 

 more simple case, after having seen a certain number 

 of things all of which present a black colour, we make 

 use of the word c blackness' as our name or symbol for 

 the common attribute of all black things. Since, how- 



