Scientific Sophisms. 



establishes, the antecedent diversity. If the 

 diversity were non-existent, there would be no 

 room for the alleged process of convertibility. 

 And yet, as used by him, this same convertibility 

 is employed to stamp protoplasm (and with it 

 life and intellect) into an indifferent identity. 

 In order that there may be "no break" between 

 the lowest functions and the highest between 

 the functions of the fungus and the functions 

 of man he has "endeavoured to prove," he 

 tells us, that the protoplasm of the lowest 

 organisms is "essentially identical with, and 

 most readily converted into that of any animal." l 

 And on this alleged reciprocal convertibility of 

 protoplasm he founds an inference of identity, 

 as well as of the further conclusion that the 

 functions of the highest, not less than of the 

 lowest animals, are but the molecular manifesta- 

 tions of the protoplasm which is common to all. 

 " Is this alleged reciprocal convertibility true, 

 then ? Is it true that every organism can digest 

 every other organism, and that thus a relation 

 of identity is established between that which 

 digests and whatever is digested ? 



" These questions place Mr. Huxley's general enterprise, 

 perhaps, in the most glaring light yet ; for it is very evident 



1 "Lay Sermons," p. 138. 



