198 Life and Matter [chap. x. 



of its atmosphere, or the meteoric dust 

 which lies upon its snows. 



Life may be something not only ultra- 

 terrestrial, but even immaterial, something 

 outside our present categories of matter and 

 energy ; as real as they are, but different, 

 and utilising them for its own purpose. 

 What is certain is that life possesses the 

 power of vitalising the complex material 

 aggregates which exist on this planet, and 

 of utilising their energies for a time to 

 display itself amid terrestrial surroundings ; 

 and then it seems to disappear or evaporate 

 whence it came. It is perpetually arriving 

 and perpetually disappearing. While it is 

 here, if it is at a sufficiently high level, the 

 animated material body moves about and 

 strives after many objects, some worthy, 

 some unworthy ; it acquires thereby a 

 certain individuality, a certain character. 

 It may realise itself : , moreover, becoming 

 conscious of its own mental and spiritual 

 existence ; and it then begins to explore 

 the Mind which, like its own, it conceives 



