THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 37 



natural aptitudes of the molecules to come into play, 

 whereby they fall into living modes of combination. 



We are quite prepared to expect that, in a short 

 time, some solution of saline substances may be 

 discovered capable of retaining its power of passing 

 through life-evolving changes, even after having been 

 subjected within hermetically-sealed vessels to very high 

 temperatures. That is to say, we believe that some 

 day a saline solution will be found in which, without 

 aid from co-existing organic matter^ synthetic life- 

 giving combinations may occur. In order to attain 

 this end, a combination of substances will be needed 

 capable of withstanding an exposure (under pressure i) 

 to such high temperatures as would suffice to break up 

 all peculiarly ^ organic ' compounds, and yet leave the 

 total constituents of the sealed flask in such a condition 

 as to enable them to lapse into living modes of combi- 

 nation — ^just as easily as the elements of ammonic 

 tartrate and water do under the influence of a dead 

 ferment. 



These considerations are replete with interest. They 

 insensibly lead us on to the enquiry as to whether living 

 things can now. originate upon the surface of our globe 

 after the same manner in which alone (in accordance 



^ The higher the degree of heat, the greater does the pressure become 

 within the flask. It must not be forgotten that under such influences 

 alone there is the possibility of synthetic changes taking place. As 

 before mentioned (p, 24), cyanimide (CN^ H'^) is converted into cya- 

 nuramide (C^N^ H^) at a temperature of I50°C. 



