340 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 



It is evident, however, that this latter process is only of 

 subordinate interest for our history of creation. It is much 

 more important for us to solve the question, " Is there such, 

 a thing as autogeny ? Is it possible that an organism can 

 arise, not out of pre-existing organic, but out of purely inor- 

 ganic, matter ? " Hence we can quietly lay aside all the 

 numerous experiments which refer only to plasmogeny, 

 which have been carried on very zealously during the last 

 ten years, and which for the most part have had a negative 

 result. For even supposing that the reality of plasmogeny 

 were strictly proved, still autogeny would not be explained 

 by it. 



The experiments on autogeny have likewise as yet 

 furnished no certain and positive result. Yet we must at 

 the outset most distinctly protest against the notion 

 that these experiments have proved the impossibility of 

 spontaneous generation in general. Most naturalists who 

 have endeavoured to decide this question experimentally, 

 and who, after having employed all possible precautionary 

 measures, under well-ascertained conditions, have seen no 

 organisms come into being, have straightway made the 

 assertion, on the ground of these negative results : " That it 

 is altogether impossible for organisms to come into existence 

 by themselves without parental generation." This hasty 

 and inconsiderate assertion they have supported by the 

 negative results of their experiments, which, after all, could 

 prove nothing except that, under these or those highly 

 artificial circumstances created by the experimenters them- 

 selves, no organism was developed. From these experi- 

 ments, which have been for the most part made under the 

 most unnatural conditions, and in a highly artificial 



