THE RELATION OF LIFE TO OTHER FORCES. 731 



which we call living organized matter, with power not only to use ex- 

 ternal force for its own use in growth, development, and other vital mani- 

 festations, but for that modification of these powers which consists in the 

 separation of a part that shall grow up into the likeness of its parent, 

 and thus continue the race. "We are therefore, it may be added, as far 

 as ever from any explanation of the origin of life. This is of course 

 quite true. The object of the present chapter, however, is only to deal 

 with the relations of life, as it now exists, to other forces. The manner 

 of creation of the various kinds of organized matter, and the source of 

 those qualities, belonging to it, which from our ignorance we call in- 

 herent, are different questions altogether. 



To say that of necessity the power to form living organized matter will 

 never be vouchsafed to us, that it is only a mere materialist who would 

 believe in such a possibility, seems almost as absurd as the statement 

 that such inquiries lead of necessity to the denial of any higher power 

 than that which in various forms is manifested as "force/' on this small 

 portion of the universe. It is almost as absurd, but not quite. For, 

 surely, he who recognizes the doctrine of the mutual convertibility of 

 all forces, vital and physical, who believes in their unity and imperish- 

 ableness, should be the last to doubt the existence of an all-powerful 

 Being, of whose will they are but the various correlative expressions 

 from whom they all come; to whom they return. 



