72 THOUGHTS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 



apparently cease, and the cell or cells (or seeds) 

 appear lifeless; but when she again supplies the 

 suitable fluid under suitable conditions they again 

 give the electro-chemical phenomena of life, unless 

 they have been left long without fluid, and the mole- 

 cular clockwork has, while without the fluid, run 

 down below the energy, or speed of movement, 

 necessary to the manifestation of electro-chemical 

 effects when the fluid is again added. 



It is evident that it is only necessary for a cell in 

 inanimate nature, that contains the necessary 

 materials, having the needful energy, within an 

 insulating envelope, to be supplied with the suit- 

 able fluid for the phenomena of life, under suitable 

 conditions, to be manifested. How simple after all 

 is the origin of life, the difficulty has been in our 

 want of understanding. It may be a little difficult 

 at first glance to see in all its fulness and beauty ; 

 but when we remember that the difference between 

 life and death in the seed, and cell, is really the 

 difference between the feebleness and swiftness of 

 movements, in various ways, of small portions of 

 matter the subject becomes quite easy. If they 

 move at sufficient speed, on the addition of the 

 needful fluid, life is manifested ; if the speed of 

 movement is too feeble it is death, they are inanimate, 

 life is consequently at bottom a question of speed. 



The difference between the living and the non- 

 living is the capacity possessed, as a result of speed, 

 by the living to produce the electro-chemical and 

 other effects within their cells that result in growth. 

 Nevertheless the living are not independent, they 



