THE ORIGIN OF LIFE: A CHEMIST'S FANTASY 313 



oil we now possess and imply that they came into existence 

 in those times. Chemists and geologists would be in agree- 

 ment, I believe, that these oils were formed at a somewhat 

 late geological epoch and that they are derived from fatty 

 materials laid down as remains of organisms. 



Prof. Benjamin Moore, brimming over with biotic energy, 

 afterwards told us that " something more than structure was 

 necessary for life." He preferred a dynamic view which em- 

 braced energy, motion and change ... all the actions of the 

 cell were concerned with the liberation of energy and its trans- 

 formation into many forms. For the origin of life ... it was 

 necessary to start with the formation of organic bodies. The 

 colloids, which were large aggregates of molecules, began to 

 show the properties of dawning life but it was needful also 

 to get an energy transformer attached to the colloid. He also 

 insisted that " the problem was metaphysical at the present 

 moment, as through all the ages the process of life was going 

 on. As soon as the colloids got under the influence of sunlight 

 they started synthesising organic bodies. That process was 

 going on now." 



In making such statements Prof. Moore allowed his imagi- 

 nation to run away with him ; his assertions cannot be justified. 

 Vague, sweeping generalities are out of place in such a dis- 

 cussion. Unless the steps be made clear, there can be no logic 

 in the argument. 



No doubt something more than structure is necessary for 

 life. Nevertheless life is dependent on structure — just as is 

 the activity of the steam-engine. The steam-engine is essen- 

 tially a dynamic machine : it lives only when fuel is burnt 

 under its boiler ; but the energy liberated in combustion is 

 brought into action through the agency of a complex mechanism. 

 And it is worth noting that by a slight extension of this 

 mechanism the engine may be made to " remember " and even 

 talk. Thus, if it be caused to draw a steel tape across the 

 magnetic pole of a telephone while the drum of the instrument 

 is being talked at, the message is taken down by the tape ; 

 if the tape be then drawn back in the reverse direction, the 

 drum of the telephone will speak and deliver the message 

 remembered in the tape. Surely such an analogy with life is 

 worth considering. Of course it will be said that the engine 

 is fashioned by an intelligence external to itself and if we 



