538 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHS0N];AN INSTITUTION, 1912. 



To make my meaning clear, let me go back to my wig. Assuming 

 the primordial wig to have come into existence thi-ough a series of 

 lucky, fortuitous accidents, assisted by certam pecuHarities inherent 

 in the primary material and favored by the special conditions of the 

 environment — wigs have ever since been made much on the pattern 

 of the fu-st wig though variations have taken place from time to time. 



Each new wig is constructed on top of an old wig and when a new 

 wig is ready, ''division" takes place and the new wig is removed to 

 a new "cell" together with a supply of tools and materials required 

 for wig making. Accorduig to the material available, while the gen- 

 eral pattern is maintained intact, variations may be introduced into 

 individual curls. But two kmds of wigs are to be thought of, simple 

 wigs — male and female — and compound wigs, the latter being made 

 by superposing two sunple wigs after such alterations have been 

 made in each as to permit of their superposition; obviously, when 

 the compound wigs are separa'ted and worn as simple wigs, the new 

 simple wigs differ somewhat from the old though they are very like 

 them in general character; also it will be clear that all sorts of com- 

 binations of simple wigs may be made. 



Obviously my metaphorical wigs correspond to nuclei and the 

 tools and materials used m making them to the cytoplasmic ele- 

 ments — assuming that the nucleus is the formative element of the 

 cell. Having thus put wigs on the green, I trust that I have met the 

 challenge given by Dr. Haldane and that it will be obvious that even 

 the problems of reproduction and heredity, if not those of immunity, 

 may be dealt with from some such point of view as that I have ven- 

 tured to state. 



The assertion has been made ^ recently that the scientific world 

 "is beginnmg on all sides to admit the necessity for postulating the 

 cooperation of some 'outside' factor. Lodge in England, Bergson 

 in France, and Driesch in Germany are the most conspicuous apostles 

 of the new movement." 



This is but one of the many such statements made of late. An 

 apostle after all is but a messenger and the character of a message 

 depends a good deal on the instruction the messenger has received, 

 though imagmation may contribute a good deal to its ultimate adorn- 

 ment. The messages delivered to the public on such a subject are 

 apt to be somewhat imaginary. It is clear that they can not be even 

 an approximation to truth, when no notice is taken by those who 

 convey them of the results achieved by the toiling workers in the 

 distant adits of the mine of science. Philosophers must go to school 

 and study in the purlieus of experimental science, if they desire to 

 speak with authority on these matters. 



I" Involution," by Lord Ernest Hamilton. 



