44 VITALISM AND SCHOLASTICISM 



so closely to the most recent speculations of 

 men of science. It is with the kingdom of life, 

 however, that we are specially concerned, and 

 to this aspect of the question we must now 

 turn our attention. There is a common 

 "matter," the same substrate in a block of 

 lead or a dancing fire-fly, but a different 

 66 form." The block of lead may be looked 

 upon as a whole or, perhaps more reasonably, 

 as a mass of molecules, each with its form, 

 accidentally collected together. If we treat 

 the lead with an acid say acetic acetate of 

 lead (sugar of lead) is produced and a new 

 " form " evoked. This is also a substantial 

 unity, but the scholastics teach that it bears 

 within itself the forces, though in a modified 

 form, of its component elements. Each such 

 component is an integral part of the compound, 

 surviving there in virtue of certain properties. 

 Thus, whilst part of the original " form " 

 vanishes, as so many movements vanish and 

 pass away, some remains, as we might say, 

 dormant and hidden, but capable of resuscita- 

 tion under appropriate circumstances. So far 

 we have been dealing with substantial forms, 

 which make a being what it is i.e., lead or a 

 fire-fly, but there are also accidental jorms, 

 which make a thing such-and-such, without 

 constituting its essence-size, colour and the like, 



