LIVING PARTICLES. 71 



fluid, -precipitated as some would say have increased 

 vastly in number. Many of them have become altered, or 

 their place has been taken by little bodies, some of which 

 have a circular while others exhibit an elongated oval form ; 

 all are perfectly transparent. If, again another interval of time 

 be permitted to elapse, and the slide B is again examined, 

 it will be found that further change has taken place. The 

 little bodies have become larger ; in fact they have grown, 

 and have moreover increased considerably in number. The 

 growth has not resulted from the aggregation and fusion of 

 several particles, as some have surmised, but individual par- 

 ticles have increased in size without absorbing their neigh- 

 bours. Careful study will now convince the observer that 

 in the case of the largest particles, the central portion differs 

 from the external covering ; in fact each particle is com- 

 posed of at least two kinds of matter, or matter in two dif- 

 ferent states. 



The changes described are characteristic of living par- 

 ticles. Repeated experiments have proved that the con- 

 ditions under which slide B was placed were favourable to 

 the developement of certain simple living organisms. At a 

 certain period the granules on the two slides were scarcely to 

 be distinguished ; but while those on A remained unaltered 

 retained the same granular form in which they were deposited 

 the particles on B have not been stationary for a moment. 

 They have grown into definite though apparently simple 

 forms of matter, which still continue to manifest active 

 changes. In all cases life is associated with never-ceasing 

 change. 



Now, the question arises, whence have the living 



