EVIDENCE PROVING THE STATEMENT OF THE CASE 131 



as when a steamer is moved by the propeller), 1 that 

 this energetic, virile creature finds the female egg-cell, 

 and penetrates the envelope. The egg is then said 

 to be fertilized. And now marvellously complex 

 molecular alterations take place too complex to de- 

 scribe here. 2 The mature female cell the egg, is 

 frequently one of the largest, whilst the male cell is 

 generally one of the smallest of animal cells. Both 

 are formed of what is called protoplasm. And then if 

 the womb be healthy and neither shock nor hindrance 

 he given, the marvellous processes we have described 

 take place, and ultimately a child is born. What miracle, 

 ever stated to have existed, equals the wonderful pro- 

 cesses in Nature Ave have described ? 



Now there are many important issues resulting from 

 the consideration of the known facts. 



Does the fertilization of the egg alone produce those 

 remarkable similarities which we find the child often has 

 to one or the other of the parents, and thus bring about 

 the factor known as hereditary peculiarities, or rather 

 <lo not these peculiarities arise from the food the grow- 

 ing organism is absorbing from the female ? Mental 

 impressions arise from the force or inherent energy of 

 molecules, and the female is providing molecules to the 

 growing embryo. May it not be more likely that the 

 hereditary qualities have their origin in the mental 

 impressions, or the peculiar organization of the female ? 



1 " The Evolution of Sex," op. cit. p. 110. 



2 After describing some of these molecular or chemical alterations, 

 true physical processes, Messrs. Geddes and Thomson state : " The 

 above short sketch will show how intricate, and yet at the same time 

 how orderly, are the intimate processes of fertilization." (" The 

 Evolution of Sex," p. 148.) These molecular reactions have been 

 called " quadrille des centres." 



K 2 



