1872.] Notices of Books. 493 
matter. Nevertheless, in our opinion, even with all the light which 
the doctrines of the correlations of forces and the inter-relations of 
force and matter give us, we are constrained to admit a vast 
difference in kind, if not in degree, between the force-attributes 
of a particle of matter living and those of a particle of matter 
dead. We may show that the modes of manifestation of force 
by a living being are purely physical, but that is not sufficient to 
demonstrate that the force which controls or liberates, changes 
or co-ordinates these is physical also. And even if we are to 
renounce the idea of a special vital force directing the living 
machine, the difficulties are scarcely less, for the relations of 
force to matter, in reference to degree alone, would, in the case 
of a living organism, be entirely inexplicable. We must imagine 
matter supersaturated, as it were, with force, without there being 
any appreciable affection of its surroundings, and the resultant 
combination over-riding the laws which govern both force and 
matter under ordinary conditions. We cannot see that the 
author’s metaphysical speculations at all smooth the path for the 
easy run of his theory, and we rejoice to find that he admits that 
of an absolute commencement of life we know nothing what- 
ever. ‘‘ The gradual transition from the not-living to the living 
is still hidden from our view, and so, perhaps, it may ever 
remain.”—(P. 128.) 
Let us consider the present position of the question that the 
author discusses. Our common experience of visible Nature 
teaches us that living things originate from pre-existing living 
things, and in no other way whatever. The modes of derivation 
of progeny from parent are sometimes complex and elaborate, 
at others direct, simple, and demonstrable. The progress of 
research has tended to show that—even in parasites of parasites 
of animals, the lesser fleas that bite the greater fleas—the parent- 
age can be traced and demonstrated. And when the highest 
powers of the microscope are brought to bear upon the subject, 
the same law is found to hold good. The lowliest visible speck, 
a mere assemblage of apparently structureless material, can be 
seen to become detached from the parental mass, and in its turn 
to propagate other individual buds of protoplasm in like manner. 
The law, therefore, ‘‘Omne vivum e vivo,” is universal, in so far 
as the direct interrogation of visible Nature declares. If there 
is an exception to this law, in cases of any organisms, it is for 
those who assert such exception to demonstrate it by evidence. 
This is what Dr. Bastian attempts to do. 
The logical methods which might be adopted for such demon- 
stration are the following :—First, the synthetic method. The 
fundamental ingredients of organisable matter are carbon, oxygen, 
hydrogen, and nitrogen, with frequently traces of sulphurand phos- 
phorus. If by taking these inorganic materials, and placing them 
in juxtaposition, it could be shown that a material possessing the 
attributes of vitality resulted, the proof would be complete; but 
