258 Anima Mundi. 



The perfection of a watch is not derived by 

 contact from some other watch. But the per- 

 fection of vital movement, and the power of 

 vital force are derived by contact, are depend- 

 ent on connection with other, and pre-existing 

 living bodies. Mr. Huxley tells us of something 

 which he finds it convenient to call by the name 

 of " subtle influences." And these " subtle 

 influences," he says, " will convert the dead pro- 

 toplasm into the living protoplasm;" will "raise 

 the complex substance of dead protoplasm to 

 the higher power, as one may say, of living 

 protoplasm." * What are these " subtle in- 

 fluences ? " What else are they but vital 

 force ? 



It is easy to talk of a living body as "a mole- 

 cular machine," and to attribute " vital pheno- 

 mena " to its " construction." But what of The 

 Constructor? It is easy to talk of "lifeless 

 compounds " as the " constituents " of a living 

 body. But then these lifeless compounds are 

 "constituents" that do not constitute. They 

 do not even constitute " The Physical Basis of 

 Life." Still less do they constitute the energy 

 of Life itself. " Let the matter be disguised or 

 slurred over as it may, the fact remains that we 

 are utterly unable to imitate vital affinity so far 

 1 Fortnightly Review for 1869, p. 138. 



