Molecular DissyDuiictry. 9 



the dissymmetric arrangement of the solar system, in the 

 opposition of the north and south poles of the magnet, and 

 in negative and positive electricity. Life, in his view, is a 

 " function " of this " dissymmetrical influence." The fact 

 that Pasteur, after the publication of Faraday's researches 

 on the magnetization of light, endeavoured, by means of 

 helices and magnets, to produce dissymmetrical crystals, 

 seems to indicate that he did not regard the compounding 

 of the forces under the direction of the experimentalist in 

 such a way as to produce artificial dissymmetry as neces- 

 sarily inconsistent with his law. Indeed Pasteur has himself 

 expressed to M. Radot his belief in the possibility of the 

 experimentalist passing the boundary between the mineral 

 and organic derivative compounds by means of the intro- 

 duction of" dissymmetrical influences." In this way Pasteur 

 seems to expect that the chemists may produce the inverse 

 of given organic substances, in other words that they may 

 change right-handed into left-handed substances and vice 

 versa. Endeavouring to understand Pasteur's views, I see no 

 reason why he should not interpret in his own way Dr. 

 Tyndall's famous dictum : — " It is the compounding in the 

 organic world of forces belonging equally to the inorganic 

 that constitutes the mystery and the miracle of vitality." 

 Adopting this generalisation, Pasteur might still point out 

 that everything depends on the " compounding," and that 

 in one case there is a dominant compounding influence or 

 force, not present in the other case ; the result of the opera- 

 tion of which is molecular dissymmetry. Pasteur's " pro- 

 found separation " between organic and inorganic substances 

 would still exist. The philosophy of Pasteur's definition is 

 illustrated even in the evolution theory. For evolution 

 depends upon the initial mystery of variation, and variation 

 can scarcely be spoken of as due to a " straight-line " force ; 

 it is essentially a tendency to dissymmetry. 



It is important to remember that all Pasteur's subsequent 



