82 THE DATA OP BIOLOGY. 



majority of the phenomena displayed by inanimate bodies, 

 are statical and not dynamical; that the modifications of 

 inanimate bodies are mostly slow and unobtrusive; that on 

 the one hand, when we see sudden movements in inanimate 

 bodies, we are apt to assume living agency, and on the other 

 hand, when we see no movements in living bodies, we are 

 apt to assume death. Manifestly then, be the requisite quali 

 fications what they may, a true idea of Life must be an idea 

 of some kind of change or changes. 



On further comparing assimilation and reasoning, with a 

 view of seeing in what respect the changes displayed in both 

 differs from non-vital changes, we find that they differ in 

 being not simple changes; in each case there are successive 

 changes. The transformation of food into tissue involves 

 mastication, deglutition, chymification, chylification, absorp 

 tion, and those various actions gone through after the lacteal 

 ducts have poured their contents into the blood. Carrying on 

 an argument necessitates a long chain of states of conscious 

 ness; each implying a change of the preceding state. Inor 

 ganic changes, however, do not in any considerable degree 

 exhibit this peculiarity. It is true that from meteorologic 

 causes, inanimate objects are daily, sometimes hourly, under 

 going modifications of temperature, of bulk, of hygrometric 

 and electric condition. Not only, however, do these modifica 

 tions lack that conspicuousness and that rapidity of succession 

 which vital ones possess, but vital ones form an additional 

 scries. Living as well as not-living bodies are affected 

 by atmospheric influences; and beyond the changes which 

 these produce, living bodies exhibit other changes, more 

 numerous and more marked. So that though organic change 

 is not rigorously distinguished from inorganic change by 

 presenting successive phases; yet vital change so greatly 

 exceeds other change in this respect, that we may consider 

 it as a distinctive character. Life, then, as thus roughly 

 differentiated, may be regarded as change presenting succes 

 sive phases; or otherwise, as a series of changes. And it 



