THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 1 23 



redistributions can still be made, though much less 

 easily; and in which, being changeable less easily, 

 they have a certain persistence — a persistence which 

 can, however, become decided only where further 

 solidification stops further redistribution/ 



Now molecular motion is locked up in living matter 

 in various ways. In addition to the fact of its semi- 

 fluid consistence, it contains chemical combinations 

 which even surpass those of the colloid molecule in 

 intrinsic mobility. Three out of its four principal 

 ultimate constituents are mobile gases ; whilst it is a 

 peculiarity of one of them, nitrogen, that instead of 

 giving out heat when it combines with other elements, 

 it absorbs heat, so that ^ besides carrying with it into 

 the liquid or solid compound it forms, the motion 

 which previously constituted it a gas, it takes up 

 additional motion.' 



Thus the form of matter which above all others 

 would seem to possess the necessary requisites for the 

 abundant occurrence of secondary redistributions, is 

 living matter — in which there is embodied an enor- 

 mous amount of potential and actual motion, whilst it, 

 at the same time, possesses a degree of cohesion that 

 permits temporary fixity of arrangement. 



And accordingly, as Mr. Spencer^says, ^The clearest, 

 most numerous, and most varied illustrations of the 

 advance in multiformity that accompanies the advance 

 in integration, are furnished by living organic bodies.' 

 He then adds: — ^Distinguished as we found these to 



