1 1 8 Protoplasm. 



Again, after having told us that protoplasm is 

 carbonic acid, water, and ammonia, ' which cer- 

 tainly possess no properties but those of ordinary 

 matter/ he proceeds to speak as follows : 



"'Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are all life- 

 less bodies. Of these, carbon and oxygen unite in certain 

 proportions, and under certain conditions, to give rise to 

 carbonic acid ; hydrogen and oxygen produce water ; 

 nitrogen and hydrogen give rise to ammonia. These new 

 compounds, like the elementary bodies of which they are 

 composed, are lifeless.' 



"So far then, surely, I am allowed to say 

 that these new compounds are due to chemistry. 

 Observe now what follows : 



"'But when they' (the compounds) 'are brought to- 

 gether, under certain conditions, they give rise to the 

 still more complex body protoplasm, and this protoplasm 

 exhibits the phenomena of life. I see no break in this 

 series of steps in molecular complication, and I am un- 

 able to understand why the language which is applicable 

 to any one term of the series may not be used to any of 

 the others.' 



" Here, evidently, I am ordered by Mr. Hux- 

 ley himself, not to change my language, but 

 to characterise these latter results as I charac- 

 terised those former ones. If I spoke then of 

 ammonia, etc., as due to chemistry, so must 

 I now speak of protoplasm, life- matter, as due 

 to chemistry a statement which Mr. Huxley 



