164 The Evolution Hypothesis. 



ence : Moses begins with life the living seed. The 

 evolutionist must be given kinds and the reproduction 

 of kinds in the primal atomic aggregates, in the 

 earliest conceivable stage of evolution ; he must find 

 kinds and the reproduction of each after its kind long 

 antecedent to the first beginning of life. 



Again, there is pressed on our attention an instance 

 of the manner in which evolution, when one reaches 

 a point of real moment, leaves the vital question 

 unanswered. 



2. But let us, for the sake of argument, grant Mr.. 

 Spencer his molecules of "extreme modifiability," 

 he has still out of these to build up the protoplasm, 

 portions of which began, as he supposes, to display 

 actions approximating to those called vital. Now he 

 is at this point met by an obstacle which lies in the 

 way of his theory, and which has for so far proved 

 insuperable. He has to get protoplasm antecedent to- 

 the existence of any living thing. Here he is met by 

 a uniform experience an experience without known 

 exception, that protoplasm is only found in that 

 which is, or has been, living. Mr. Spencer must, then, 

 before he can take a single step in his progress 

 towards organized bodies, obliterate one of the clearest 

 drawn lines in nature, and postulate the existence of 

 protoplasm prior to the existence of life, while all 

 observation and experience bear testimony to the 

 presence of life as the invariable condition of the 

 existence of protoplasm. That is, he has introduced 



