346 LIVING NOT EXPLAINED BY PHYSICS. 



A man thoroughly imbued with the true scientific spirit 

 generally argues from the facts before him during the period 

 through which he lives, and may think it vain to speculate 

 as to what conclusions would have to be accepted in the im- 

 probable event of such and such fancies of the unrestrained 

 imagination being shown to be solid facts in the time 

 to come. The intellects about to be must be permitted to 

 draw their own conclusions from the facts they may have 

 before them. It is not generous on our part to attempt to 

 anticipate their discoveries. Those who succeed us will be 

 able to think for themselves, possibly, even to greater 

 advantage than we can at this time think for them ; and 

 I doubt if they will thank us for wasting our efforts in vain 

 attempts to advise them, to tutor them, or to do work that 

 will belong to them, instead of performing the work that is 

 assigned to us, and in the best and most thorough way 

 possible. 



No unprejudiced scientific thinker of these days, argu- 

 ing from facts, has been able to give good reasons for the 

 conclusion that any sufficient explanation of the phenomena 

 of living matter, according to the laws of physics, has been 

 or is to be found at this time ; nor is there anything at 

 present known that would justify the assumption that any 

 such explanation ever will be found. As long as this state 

 of things may last, so long will it remain reasonable, and 

 not unphilosophical, though upon other grounds right, to 

 entertain, at least as a provisional hypothesis, the idea that 

 the world has been designed and is governed by God. Not 

 a few of the best and wisest of those who have lived in past 

 time have held, and with good reason, that the belief in the 

 wisdom, goodness, and power of God, afforded consolation 



