THE VIBRATORY SENSE 



since it appeared on the globe, it has always succeeded 

 in winning the victory. This is a continual miracle 

 of the creative Power which we seldom consider, so 

 accustomed are we to consider it in itself or round 

 itself, so accustomed are we to it, though, at every 

 moment and in every thing, from the humblest to the 

 greatest, its supreme and sovereign greatness is always 

 present. 



Life has this quality of itself; it makes it its property, 

 and is thereby distinguished from what is not living. 

 Living matter, with the inherent energy which animates 

 it, is a special thing, unique in kind among all Nature. 

 But, in relation to the rest, in relation to the environ- 

 ment through which it disseminates its individuals, it 

 is a contained within a container. In this fact, despite 

 its dignity and its independence, rest its weakness and 

 its subjection. These material substances which it 

 brings together to make of them the parts of its body; 

 these kinds of energy which it associates and exalts 

 that it may live, can only come to it from outside, can 

 only reach it through the intermediary of the inanimate 

 environment in which it is contained. Its independence 

 is not complete; it is conditioned. Its quality depends 

 upon that of the environment, and upon the way in 

 which the environment behaves. Vital action has two 

 tempos; it is divided into two parts, which succeed 

 one another alternately. In the first place there is an 

 action, arising in the environment, based upon what 

 it is able to provide and what the living body can 

 receive. Then there is a reaction, originating in the 

 living body, and carried out in accordance with its 

 capacity for absorption and transformation. The 

 second results from the first, and, in this way, the 

 environment guides and controls action. 



The organs of sensation, in these processes of 

 guiding and control, have more expression and sig- 

 nificance than any others. They become almost 

 symbolic. The roach, drawn by its sense of taste 

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