THE ORIGIN OF LIFE 



'T^HE thoughts suggested to the philosophical 

 naturalist by the contemplation of the dawn 

 of life on our planet are necessarily many and ex- 

 citing, and the subject has in it the materials for 

 enabling the general reader better to judge of some 

 of the theories of the origin of life agitated in our 

 time. Let us then put Eozoon into the witness-box, 

 and try to elicit its testimony as to the beginnings of 

 life ; supposing for the moment that it is really an 

 animal, and not a mere pretender ; though even in 

 that case, it might serve to represent the first animal, 

 whatever it may have been. 



Looking down from the elevation of our physio- 

 logical and mental superiority, it is difficult to realize 

 the exact conditions in which life exists in creatures 

 so simple as the Protozoa. There may perhaps be 

 higher intelligences that find it equally difficult to 

 realize how life and reason can manifest themselves 

 in such poor houses of clay as those we inhabit. But 

 placing ourselves near to these creatures, and entering 



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