On the Physical Basis of Life. 



In order to make the title of this discourse generally 

 intelligible, I have translated the term "Protoplasm," 

 which is the scientific name of the substance of which I 

 am about to speak, by the words " the physical basis of 

 life." I suppose that, to many, the idea that there is 

 such a thing as a physical basis, or matter, of life may 

 be novel so widely spread is the conception of life as 

 a something which works through matter, but is inde- 

 pendent of it ; and even those who are aware that mat- 

 ter and life are inseparably connected, may not be pre- 

 pared for the conclusion plainly suggested by the phrase 

 " the physical basis or matter of life," that there is some 

 one kind of matter which is common to all living beings, 

 and that their endless diversities are bound together by 

 a physical, as well as an ideal, unity. In fact, when first 

 apprehended, such a doctrine as this appears almost 

 shocking to common sense. What, truly, can seem to be 

 more obviously different from one another in ficulty, in 

 form, and in substance, than the various kinds of living 

 beings ? What community of faculty can there be be- 

 tween the brightly-colored lichen, which so nearly re- 

 sembles a mere mineral incrustation of the bare rock on 



