27 



the evils resulting are evanescent and harmless indeed as com- 

 pared with those which must result from inculcating a system 

 which professes to be founded on reason, but which really 

 rests upon fictions and arbitrary assertions, a system in 

 which fact is appealed to, but is not to be found. Look at it 

 how you may, you will not discover the smallest speck of 

 firm ground of truth upon which to build any form of the 

 materialistic doctrine. The phantom of possible molecular 

 mechanisms, confusion between mere energy and the power 

 by which it is directed, between a machine and its maker, 

 between designing and making in form and order and for a 

 purpose, and the mere purposeless piling of particles of matter 

 one upon another, or their equally purposeless falling down, 

 are a few of the erroneous comparisons frequently made and 

 accepted as if they were compatible with reason, and even 

 trophies of recent scientific conquest. 



By materialism it is sought to reduce vital phenomena 

 to mere attractions, repulsions, affinities, and to annihilate the 

 idea of vital power. Materialism can only be sustained by the 

 suppression of truths and by ignoring facts that are known, 

 and by a most fantastic and reprehensible system of using the 

 same word in very different senses, and in applying the same 

 term to things which widely differ from one another and even 

 exhibit opposite qualities. By intellectual devices which are 

 certainly not creditable to intellect, the absolute and irre* 

 concilable difference between the non-living, and the living, 

 and the dead are ignored by some, and denied by others J 

 difference of degree is substituted for absolute difference, while 

 identity is not unfrequently made to do duty for diversity^ 

 and like is used where not like would be more correct. 



THE LIVING AND THE NON-LIVING. 



The following remarks upon this subject were made by Professor LIONEL 

 S. BEALE, F.K.S., during the discussion on Dr. Wallich's paper* " On the 

 Fallacy of the Materialistic Origin of Life," read before the Institute, April 

 17th, 1882. 



I propose to offer a few remarks on the view taken by Professor Huxley 

 and other scientific men, both here and on the Continent, in reference to the 

 very important question of the transition from the non-living to the living. 



* As yet, ill-health has prevented this author completing his paper for 

 publication ; but it is hoped that it may form part of No. 64 of the Journal. 

 ED. 



