24 THE MICROSCOPE. 



sets of laws, are by far the most complex of any; and the 

 discovery or detection of the peculiar laws of life, although 

 fixed as the laws of chemistry or physics, has been very 

 slow, and is as yet far from being completed. 



The study of the Science of Life, or the building up of 

 the living structure, is termed Physiology, or Biology; 1 

 and that part of it more particularly relating to the minute 

 structure of the organs of animals has been termed 

 Histology? 



Physiology has for its object the scientific ordination of 

 the phenomena and laws of life ; yet, writes Mr. Lewes, 

 " the attempts to define what we are to understand by Life, 

 have hitherto proved almost if not quite valueless. We must 

 be content for the present, at least, to remain in ignorance 

 of what Life is ; and in doing this, accept it as an ultimate 

 fact, to be studied in its manifold forms. We are utterly 

 ignorant of the nature of Gravitation : but we have learned 

 to appreciate some of the laws of its operation. We know 

 nothing of chemical force; but we are daily registering 

 the facts of combination. Let us, then, cease to vex with 

 noisy questions the imperturbable reserve of Nature, and 

 be content to watch the processes with reverent patience. 

 Instead of trying to discover the mystery of Life, let us 

 try to understand the various phenomena of Life, and 

 learn with Coleridge to see, ' Life everywhere and nowhere 

 death.' " 



In our previous investigations, we must have seen the 

 value and advantage of " studying Life in its simpler 

 forms, if Life is to be understood in its more complex 

 forms ; and no sooner do we apprehend the fact that the 

 lower animals present all the more important phenomena 

 of Life under simpler forms and conditions, than we at 

 once recognise the study as indispensable. Nevertheless, 

 such a conception is of quite recent date. Comparative 

 anatomy has been more or less studied from the days of 

 Aristotle downwards : but it has been studied either from 

 mere curiosity, or because human anatomy being inter- 

 dicted, the anatomy of the lower animals was the only 



(1) From /3<o?, life, and \o-yo?, discourse a discourse on life : a more expres- 

 sive term than physiology. 



(2) From laroy a tissue or web, and A 070? a discourse. 



