122 DEATH AND RESURRECTION. 



arrive therefore at the same conclu- 

 sion that natural science had already 

 drawn before from external observa- 

 tion, and with which the question of 

 the nature of life-force is inseparably 

 connected. The qualities of matter 

 itself demonstrate clearly that spon- 

 taneous generation never has been, is 

 not and never will be possible, and the 

 tremendous labor spent during cen- 

 turies to prove this by external ob- 

 servation seems almost a waste of time. 

 We might as well pick out a table full 

 of stones and sit down expecting some 

 of them to undertake a flight around 

 the room, as to expect living substance 

 to come forth spontaneously from dead 

 matter. The intrinsic qualities of mat- 

 ter tell us that only hope for the 

 former occurrence can warrant faith 

 in the latter. 



We thus consider it demonstrated 

 that Harvey's formula is a universal 

 natural law and we mav now draw its 

 logical consequences: Life is not a 

 material force; no living being can there- 



