132 Life and Matter [chap. vn. 



physical force, but holds that it needs c guid- 

 ance/ " 



" On all sides we hear the echo of Professor Le 

 Conte's words : c Vital force may now be regarded 

 as so much force withdrawn from the general fund 

 of chemical and physical forces.' " 



Very well then, here is no conflict on a 

 matter of opinion or philosophic speculation, 

 but divergence on a downright question of 

 scientific fact (let it be noted that I do not 

 wish to hold Professor Haeckel responsible 

 for these utterances of his disciple : he must 

 surely know better), and I wish to oppose 

 the fallacy in the strongest terms. 



If it were true that vital energy turned 

 into or was anyhow convertible into in- 

 organic energy, if it were true that a dead 

 body had more inorganic energy than a live 

 one, if it were true that " these inorganic 

 energies " always or ever " reappear on the 

 dissolution of life," then undoubtedly cadit 

 qucestio ; life would immediately be proved 

 to be a form of energy, and would enter 

 into the scheme of physics. But inasmuch 

 as all this is untrue the direct contrary of 



