Scientific Sophisms. 129 



deprived of its vitality is still protoplasm, it 

 is axiomatically evident that vitality is not in- 

 dispensable to protoplasm, and is therefore not 

 a "property" of protoplasm. 



7. But this question of Mr. Huxley's is fur- 

 ther noticeable on account of the connection in 

 which it is found ; a connection highly signifi- 

 cant in relation to its author's disclaimer of 

 "materialism." In varying phrase, but always 

 to the same effect, in three short consecutive 

 sentences he thrice reiterates the question : 



" What justification is there then for the assumption of 

 the existence in the living matter of a something which 

 has no representative or correlative in the not-living mat- 

 ter that gave rise to it ? What better philosophic status 

 has vitality than aquosity ? And why should vitality 

 hope for a better fate than the other itys which have dis- 

 appeared since Martinus Scriblerus accounted for the 

 operation of the meat-jack by its inherent meat-roasting 

 quality, and scorned the materialism of those who ex- 

 plained the turning of the spit by a certain mechanism 

 worked by the draught of the chimney ? " 1 



" This," replies Dr. Elam, " is very amusing 

 no one can be more so than Professor Huxley ; 

 a little perception of facts and analogies 

 would make it perfect. The answer is obvious, 

 if answer is required. All these are machines 



1 Fortnightly Review, February, 1869, p. 140. 



