CHAPTER VII 

 THE ARGUMENT 



THE statement of evidence for the bio- 

 logical fitness of the environment is at 

 length completed. Whatever favorable prop- 

 erties of water, carbonic acid, and the com- 

 pounds of the three elements, whatever results 

 favorable to life, I have succeeded in finding, 

 have been set forth. 



Now, therefore, we may return to the exam- 

 ination of this evidence in the manner sug- 

 gested in Chapter II. We may inquire into 

 the exhaustiveness of the preceding treatment 

 of important physical properties, seeking to 

 discover what things have been overlooked. 

 Thus it may be possible to decide the weighty 

 question whether another group of elements 

 can possess another group of equally impor- 

 tant properties. Next, we may consider if 

 there be other elements or compounds which 

 rival carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, water and 

 carbonic acid, in the qualities which make 

 these fit for the organic mechanism, taking 

 such properties as a whole. Unfortunately, 



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