WHAT IS PHYSICAL LIFE 



asked for. An illustration is found 

 in the following passage from the 

 book, In Starry Realms, hy Sir Robert 

 Ball, an eminent astronomer, published 

 afterwards, which concludes with this 

 estimate of the Darwinian theory: "I 

 would liken," he says, " the voyage of 

 the Beagle (during which Darwin began 

 his studies) to the immortal voyage of Co- 

 lumbus. In each case a new world was 

 discovered. . . . Astronomers were 

 the first evolutionists. They had sketched 

 out a majestic scheme of evolution for the 

 whole system, and now they are rejoicing 

 to find that the great doctrine of Evolu- 

 tion has received an extension to the whole 

 domain of organic life by the splendid 

 genius of Darwin." After describing 

 how the astronomer went about complet- 

 ing his evolution of worlds, he proceeds: 

 " His work being done, he now hands over 

 the continuance of the history to the biolo- 

 6 



