366 THE BIOCOSMOS PARTICULARIZED. 



ing thing participates. The conjecture lies 

 near that there are other far-off extra-mun- 

 dane forces which are passing through the 

 alembic of Earth-life, in which they become 

 at least vitalized, and attain a higher destiny. 

 Still it, is possible, yea probable, that there 

 are other Life-points besides ours scattered 

 through the constellated spaces. 



We have already indicated that there is an 

 unseen returning current in Earth-life, pass- 

 ing from the cessation of the living individual 

 back to the beginning, where it has to be re- 

 vitalized after dissolution. The preliminary 

 steps of this transition may be summarized 

 as follows: (1) The general change from the 

 Inorganic to the Organic, with which is close- 

 ly connected (2) the act of vital individua- 

 tion ; (3) the act of bifurcation into Plant and 

 Animal lies also in the dim foreground of 

 Earth-life, which thereafter begins to have 

 a history traceable in its remains, through 

 ages. But, like man, Earth-life had its pre- 

 historic time, which is very difficult to reach 

 directly. Given its starting-point, Geology 

 has been able to point out in a general way the 

 successive periods of Earth-life, organic with 

 inorganic. Thus we seek to embrace in one 

 thought and its term the total life of our 

 globe; this is what we here call Earth-life. 

 It also has its process ; as already said, it is 



