THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 267 



developpes successivement ^ ... La seconde hypothese 

 repand ces Germes partout, et suppose qu'ils ne par- 

 viennent a se developper lorsqu'ils rencontrent des 

 Matrices convenables, ou des Corps de meme cspece^ 

 dispose a les retenir, a les fomenter, et a les faire 

 croitre.' The first hypothesis, which seeks support from 

 considerations regarding the infinite divisibility of 

 matter, is that of Bonnet (De TEmboitement), whilst 

 the second (Panspermism) is that with which the name 

 of Spallanzani is more especially associated. 



Speaking of his own doctrine, Bonnet says : — ' La 

 premiere hypothese est un des grands efforts de T esprit 

 sur ie sens. Les differens ordres d'infiniment petits 

 abimes les uns dans les autres, que cette hypothese 

 admet, accablent Timagination sans effrayer la raison -. 

 Accoutumee a distinguer ce qui est du ressort de I'en- 

 tendement, de ce qui n^est que du ressort du sens, la 

 raison envisage avec plaisir la graine d'une plante ou 

 I'oeuf d'un animal, comme une petite monde peuplee 



^ Bonnet describes this as a doctrine of Evolution ; and this word was 

 commonly employed during the latter part of the last and the early 

 part of this century,, in reference to such a process of unfolding of pre- 

 existing germs, and in opposition to Harvey's doctrine of Epigenesis. 

 Although the word ' Evolution ' now carries with it quite a different sig- 

 nificance in the minds of those who have studied Mr. Herbert Spencer's 

 ' System of Philosophy,' it is still occasionally used in its old sense. 

 (See Prof. Owen's ' Anat, of the Vertebrates.'^vol. iii. 1868, p. 809.) The 

 doctrine of Epigenesis, in fact, now forms part of the modem doctrine 

 of Evolution. 



2 At the present day, most people would be disposed to think that 

 the w^ords ' raison ' and ' imagination ' ought to have changed places 

 with one another in the above sentence. 



