THE POTENCY ONLY OF LIFE 



by simple chemical affinity, such as exist in inorganic 

 bodies, or in the derivatives of organic life, the 

 glycerides, or some forms of the albuminoids. These 

 latter, if anhydrous, would sustain no change if all 

 the etherial vibrations called heat were withdrawn, 

 even to the absolute zero, and would bear unharmed 

 a temperature near to that of boiling water. The 

 ultimate cell germ, though not living itself, retains 

 unchanged for years and years its potentiality of re- 

 sponding to the etherial vibrations that convey heat 

 and light, and that confer then upon the organic 

 structure the mystery of life. The germs of animal 

 life seem to possess, though in a lesser degree, the 

 same dormant potentiality. In viviparous animals 

 such persistence is of course unnecessary, since the 

 conditions for life are ever present and never with- 

 drawn. The eggs of the oviparous vertebrata possess 

 their future food in the form of liquid albuminoids, 

 that a temperature even far below the boiling point 

 would harden and render useless. The necessary 

 water for change of living structure and tissue for- 

 mation is present in proper quantity from the be- 

 ginning, and cannot be subsequently added to even if 

 needed. Extreme cold that would solidify aqueous 

 compounds by freezing must necessarily be destruc- 

 tive. It is remarkable, though, what low temperatures 

 can be borne with impunity by the eggs even of 

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