PROTOPLASM : 



OR, 



MATTER AND LIFE. 



PART I. DISSENTIENT, 



I. INTRODUCTORY. 



opinion that life is a form or mode of energy 

 or motion has for many years past been gaining 

 an increased number of advocates, and is now 

 very generally entertained and taught. 



The idea that life is a power, force, or property of a special 

 and peculiar kind, temporarily influencing matter and its 

 ordinary forces, but entirely different from, and in no way 

 correlated with any of these, has been ridiculed, and is 

 often spoken of as if it were too absurd to require refuta- 

 tion. And yet it is doubtful if any one who has carefully 

 studied the matter is fully satisfied as to the accuracy of the 

 facts, and the cogency of the arguments which have been 

 advanced in support of the physical doctrine of life. 



No one pretends that recently discovered facts fully 

 justify the acceptance of this now very popular notion, 

 though the opinion may with fairness be entertained that 

 the tendency of science is in the direction indicated. If, 

 indeed, it could be shown that the conclusions which have 



B 



