98 WHAT IS LIFE ? 



first stage of the evolution of the individual, many 

 homogeneous cells first arise, from the simple egg-cell, 

 by continuous division. These are exactly comparable 

 to a community of human beings as yet uncivilized. 

 These homogeneous cells increase still more, so that the 

 accumulation of cells ever increases. As in making our 

 comparison we found that an entire colony of savages 

 proceeded from the descendants of a single isolated 

 human pair, so likewise all the homogeneous cells of this 

 multitude . . . are inter-related as the descendants of 

 a single pair of cells. Their common father is the male 

 sperm- cell, and their common mother the female egg- 

 cell. At first, all these numerous cells which arise by 

 the continuous division of the fertilized egg-cell, are 

 exactly alike, and cannot be distinguished from each 

 other. But gradually a division of labour occurs among 

 them by their assuming different offices. Some accom- 

 plish nutrition, others reproduction, others protection, 

 others locomotion, and so on. We may translate this 

 into the language of the theory of the tissues and say : 

 some of these cells become intestinal cells, others muscle- 

 cells, others again, bone-cells, nerve-cells, cells of the 

 sense-organs, of the reproductive organs, &c." 1 Yes, but 

 always the cells are derived from without, each with its 

 nucleus and probably its nucleolus. Each cell is formed 

 of molecules, which molecules are formed of atoms, and 

 absolutely always developed by means of that factor of 

 factors, the fluid Ether. For without Heat, i.e. the 

 reaction of Ether on the atom and molecule no life. 2 



1 " The Evolution of Man," Prof. Ernst Haeckel, vol. i. 1883,. 

 p. 154. 



2 That the evolution of the organism depends upon the current of 

 Ether, or what is termed Heat, is clearly shown in the hatching of 



