VITAL POWER. II7 



mechanics. If the step from mechanics to chemistry is 

 known, has been proved, and is admitted, that from chemistry 

 to life is assumed, and assumed without the slightest 

 reason. If it had been shown that there was some sort of 

 relation between A and B, and another sort of relation 

 between C D, would any one venture to argue that, there- 

 fore, B and C must be related ? Neither can it be said that 

 life works with physical and chemical forces, for there is no 

 evidence that this is so. On the other hand it is quite 

 certain that life overcomes, in some very remarkable and 

 unknown manner, the influence of physical forces and 

 chemical affinities. Does the tree grow away from the 

 earth or its roots into it, in obedience to the laws of gravi- 

 tation? Are certain things taken up from the soil and 

 others rejected, or do the leaf cells tear away from carbonic 

 acid its carbon, and drive off its oxygen by reason of 

 chemical affinity ? Of course, it will be said that capillary 

 attraction, osmose and other forces, contribute in a highly 

 complex manner to bring about the results; but every one 

 at all acquainted with the subject knows, that the facts have 

 not been, and cannot be explained. Such questions are 

 usually evaded by those who profess to explain them. 

 I ask for one single instance in which the phenomena 

 actually occurring in any living thing, or in a particle of 

 living matter, can be adequately explained by physics and 

 chemistry. The only answer I get is, that if the pheno- 

 mena cannot be explained now, it is certain they will be at 

 no very distant period. One must, however, acquire pro- 

 digious physical faith before one can hope to believe that 

 prophetic physics and cherhistry are as worthy of acceptance 



