CHAPTER III. 



NATURE OF ORGANIZABLE MATERIALS AND OF LOWEST 



LIVING THINGS. 



No real distinction between Organic and Inorganic matter. Artificial 

 Production of Organic Compounds. Organizable matter. Its con- 

 stitution and Properties. Belongs to colloidal division of matter. 

 Professor Graham's views on colloids. Original Evolution of Organic 

 Matter on our Globe. Primordial Evolution of Living Things. 

 Probable nature of these. The factors being a plastic material 

 and ethereal undulations. Conversion of insensible into sensible 

 motion. Mr. Herbert Spencers explanations. Important nature 

 of these. Constructive functions of Plants. Continual conversion 

 of non-living into Living Matter in processes of Growth. 



Views of Life to be tested by nature of simplest living things. Illustra- 

 tions of physical theory. Death in higher Animals. Different de- 

 grees of ' Individuation.' Death in lower Organisms. 



Lowest present Living Things. A third Organic Kingdom, Protista, 

 intermediate between Plants and Animals. Nature of its simplest 

 Forms. The Protoplasm Theory. No Absolute Commencement 

 of Life. 



BEFORE Wohler announced to the scientific world 

 that he had succeeded in building up an organic 

 compound in his laboratory with the aid of no more 

 mysterious agencies than usually lie at the chemist's 

 disposal, and before the labours of other distinguished 

 chemists had been crowned with a like success, there 



