430 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



strongest confirmation by other investigations, which 

 have taught us that similar Ciliated Infusoria, of various 

 kinds, may arise just as rapidly by reason of changes 

 taking place in a formless protoplasmic substance, 

 which but a few days previously existed as an integral 

 portion of a living plant, and performed all the func- 

 tions pertaining to its vegetal nature. What are we 

 to say under such circumstances ? Is it possible to look 

 upon the resulting Infusorial animalcule as aught else 

 than the living morphological representative (or result- 

 ant) of the conjoint action of the molecular polarities 

 of its constituent organic atoms, under the influence of 

 the physical forces which are at the time operative ? 

 The rationale of their form and structure cannot differ, 

 so far as principle is concerned, from that similar ex- 

 planation which alone can be adduced to account for the 

 appearance, in a saline solution, of any complex crys- 

 talline form, such as a doubly oblique rhombic prism or 

 other highly-specific crystalline type. Both the Crystals 

 and the Infusoria must be regarded as the direct pro- 

 ducts of the series of actions and interactions which 

 have taken place between the materials of which they 

 are composed and the medium or environment in which 

 they exist 1 . How such different products may arise 



1 Professor Huxley says : ' It is not probable that there is any real 

 difference in the nature of the molecular forces which compel the carbo- 

 nate of lime to assume and retain the crystalline form, and those which 

 cause the albuminoid matter to move and grow, select and form, and 

 maintain its particles in a state of incessant motion. The property of 



