
PREFACE 
oe publication of my work “The Beginnings 
of Life” in 1872 gave rise toa good deal of 
criticism, and was followed by much controversy for 
a few years. ‘The criticism concerned both sections 
of the work—that dealing with Heterogenesis, as 
well as the portion in which I endeavoured to 
establish the reality of Archebiosis, though there 
was controversy only in regard to the latter subject. 
The absence of controversy about Heterogenesis 
was due to the fact that I made no reply whatever 
to any of the criticisms concerning this section of 
my book. It was a kind of subject which did not 
seem open to profitable discussion, especially with 
persons who declined to attempt to repeat the 
_ observations in question. | 
I was at the time, however, more sanguine of good 
resulting from a discussion concerning Archebiosis. 
Much controversy therefore followed with some very 
formidable opponents, and as a result I continued to 
do further work in reference to this question up to 
the year 1877. During that and the previous year 
a very heated controversy was carried on with 
Professor Tyndall in this country and with M. 
Pasteur in France. Both were excessively dogmatic, 
and one at least showed little courtesy to his 
opponent ; so that, at last, a time came when, in my 
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