FORMIFACTION AND CRYSTALLISATION. 29 



favour of the genesis of living matter de novo, 

 should be applicable to the formation of the 

 marvellous sperm and germ elements, and the 

 highest cells or elementary parts of man and 

 the higher animals. If an organic particle can 

 be formed in a solution of non-living matter, 

 like a crystal, and assume the living state at the 

 time, before, or afterwards, there is no good 

 reason for concluding that the living particle 

 from which the highest animals and man are 

 developed, is produced upon different principles, 

 or in obedience to different laws ; for neither in 

 dimensions, nor in form, nor in composition, nor 

 in any other essential character, property, or 

 quality, to be demonstrated by physics, che- 

 mistry, or observation, does the one particle 

 differ from the other. Nay, no less an authority 

 than Owen seems to accept this conclusion. 

 He considers that all cells are really formed in 

 this manner, and employs the term "formifac- 

 tion " in speaking of the supposed deposition 

 of cells and elementary parts from organic 

 solutions. Unfortunately, however, the "cells" 

 supposed to be crystallised from a solution by 

 " formifaction" existed long before the solution in 

 which they are said to be formified was pro- 



