14 



of protoplasm and other bodily substance wasted in maintaining 

 my vital processes during its delivery. My peau de chagrin will 

 be distinctly smaller at the end of the discourse than it was as the 

 beginning. By-and-by, I shall probably have recourse to the sub- 

 stance commonly called mutton, for the purpose of stretching it 

 back to its original size. Xow this mutton was once the living 

 protoplasm, more or less modified, of another animal — a sheep. 

 As I shall eat it, it is the same matter altered, not only by death, | 

 but by exposure to sundry artificial operations in the process of 

 cooking. But these changes, whatever be their extent, have not 

 rendered it incompetent to resume its old functions as matter of 

 life. A singular inward laboratory, which I possess, will dissolve 

 a certain portion of the modified protoplasm, the solution so formed 

 will pass into my veins ; and the subtle influences to which it will 

 then be subjected will convert the dead protoplasui into living 

 protoplasm, and transubstantiate sheep into man. Nor is this all. 

 If digestion were a thing to be trifled with, I might sup upon lob- 

 ster, and the matter of life of the crustacean would undergo the 

 same wonderful metamorphosis into humanity. And were I to 

 return to my own place by sea, and undergo shipwreck, the Crus- 

 tacea might, and probably would, return the compliment, and 

 demonstrate our common nature by turning my protoplasm 

 into living lobster. Or, if nothing better were to be had, I might 

 supply my wants with mere bread, and I should find the proto- 

 plasm of the wheat-plant to be convertible into man, with no more 

 trouble than that of the sheep, and with far less, I fancy, than 

 that of the lobster. Hence it appears to be a matter of no gwat 

 moment wliat animal, or what plant, I lay under contributit^i for 

 protoplasm, and the fact speaks volumes for the general identity 

 of that substance in all living beings. T share this catholicity of 

 assimulation with other animals, all of whicli, S(^ far as we know, 

 could thrive equally well on the protoi)lasni of any of their fel- 

 lows, or of any plant ; but here the assimilative [)Owers of the ani- 

 mal world cease. 



A solution of smelling-salts in water, with an infinitesimal 

 proportion of some other saline matters, contains all the elemen- 

 tary bodies which enter into the composition of protoplasm ; but, 

 as I need hardly say, a hogshead of that fluid would not keep a 

 hungry man from starving, nor would it save any animal what- 

 ever, from a like fate. An animal cannot make protoplasm, but 

 must take it ready-made from some othei' animal, or some plant— 



