MECHANISM OF NATURE 



parent identities may arrange themselves around 

 one common centre, the centre of force of every 

 one equidistant from the common centre, it is evi- 

 dent that these parent identities must not be inter- 

 locked. Therefore, these parent identities must not 

 be in a solid state. (Prop. VI, B. 1.) Neither 

 must the temperature be high enough to force the 

 parent identities far apart, for then twelve parent 

 identities would not form the necessary mould 

 wherein the new identity must needs form. There- 

 fore, heat is necessary in the reproduction of every 

 living identity. 



PROPOSITION XX. 



All living identities have the power of changing 

 their centre of force. 



The grain we sow does not turn into the grain 

 we reap. The old identity must be destroyed, and 

 in the process heat is necessary. And because time 

 is necessary, therefore, the grain is made of par- 

 ticles which decompose one by one, and the new 

 plant which will in time reproduce the old grain 

 is built up one particle at a time. 



But the centre of force of that grain of wheat 

 we sow does not long remain the centre of force of 

 the growing wheat plant. After the roots are fully 

 formed the wheat plant keeps on growing. 



There is, then, in growing and consequently in 

 the birth of new identities an element of distance, 



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