118 VITALISM AND SCHOLASTICISM 



been found, of which it could be predicated 

 that it was the first of its species. Nor have 

 any fossil remains ever been found of which it 

 could ever be likely that it belonged to a being 

 the first of its kind, or produced by spontaneous 

 generation." 



Three further authorities from many who 

 offer similar testimony will serve to close this 

 catena of quotations. These three shall be 

 a biologist, a chemist and a bio-chemist. Hert- 

 wig in his magistral work* says : " In the 

 existing condition of Science there is little hope 

 that any worker will be able to produce the 

 simplest manifestation of life in any artificial 

 way from non-living matter. He has certainly 

 no more chance of success in his endeavours 

 than Wagner, in Goethe's ' Faust,' had of 

 brewing a Homunculus in his retort." 

 Tilden Sir William Tilden, F.R.S., recognised as 



one of the first authorities in organic chemistry, 

 says : t " Chemical synthesis has accomplished 

 some wonderful things by well-known labora- 

 tory methods. These methods involve very 

 commonly the use of high temperatures, caustic 

 alkalis, strong acids, and solvents such as 

 alcohol, ether or acetone, which at any rate 

 in a concentrated form, never appear among 



* Allegem, Biologie, 2te Aufl., s. 263. 



t Chemical Discovery and Invention in the Twentieth 



Century, Routledge, 1916. 



