LIFE ON THE EARTH. 209 



Given, however, the appropriate matter, and the 

 stroke of life upon it, what have we no living 

 thing but vitalized matter. Capable of what ? Self- 

 development ? Into what simple organic form ? The 

 answer seems to have been an Infusory Animalculum, 

 before the scrutiny of the microscope had shewn the 

 real complexity of most of these children of unknown 

 fathers, the transition stages of others, the definite 

 course of life of all. At present the first hopeful 

 product of the cryptogamy of electricity and carbu- 

 retted moisture would be a fertile cell, for cells are 

 the ultimate term of the mechanical analysis of or- 

 ganic beings. 



Given then a cell with walls ; composed of 

 carbon, hydrogen and oxygen ; capable of self-divi- 

 sion and so of increasing in number. Let it be born 

 in the sea according to Telliamed, or, in moisture, 

 or slime, according to Lamarck, or if it suit better 

 the following phenomena, in the air. What follows? 

 An aggregation of cells. Plant or animal ? Perhaps 

 neither, but a living being, capable not of moving, 

 but of being moved, says Lamarck, by the external 

 powers influential on life, like Volvox. What next ? 

 Reproduction of other Yolvoces by self-division, or 

 the growth of new individuals within the parent. 



Here the process, so far as our knowledge and 

 observation go, at present, must stop the aggregate 



B.L. p 



