22 PRESENT-DAY RATIONALISM 



sharply separated the organic world from the inorganic ; 

 because of the ample evidences of life in the one, and the 

 total absence of such in the other. This difference sup- 

 plies a stronger basis of such being true, than to assume 

 the inorganic world to be alive, in spite of the total 

 absence of all the familiar phenomena by which we 

 regard the presence of life to be indicated ; such as 

 absorption of food, digestion, growth, development, re- 

 production, etc., etc. With regard to prodynamis or 

 original vibrating force of atoms, one naturally asks 

 whence it arose. The only answer appears to be that, 

 like ether (from which matter is supposed to emerge), 

 it was eternal and that ether never began to vibrate ; but 

 always has done so. 



In the next place, how did a uniformly vibrating 

 motion become changed into all the forms of energy 

 with which we are familiar? What determined the first 

 changes of character in this primeval force, while acting 

 on a uniform ether ?^ 



" Atoms," he says, " experience an inclination for con- 

 densation and a dislike for strain." If this idea be based 

 on oiir experiences in physics ; then we find that 

 " inclination " varies with temperature ; for example, 

 water shows a decided " inclination " for condensation 

 at about 39° F. ; but at 212° the "inclination" is all the 

 other way ; for it goes off as steam by expansion. 



How, too, came chemical forces into existence as 

 shown by their so-called " affinities " ? Here, again, we 

 have Haeckel's process of fitting the Cosmos on to his 

 atheism. Man loves, therefore love must have been an 

 eternal property of matter. Therefore, it is seen in all 

 chemical affinities and soon backwards till it is traceable 



' We shall sec later what lias lo lie said on " Vortex-rings". 



