MECHANISM OF NATURE 



bestowed on the young, small plant or animal must 

 be extended to every primary sphere added in 

 growth. 



Then is life a primary identity? Surely not. 

 For a primary identity cannot grow and extend ; 

 it can only unite with other identities. (Demon- 

 stration, Prop. XVII, B. 2.) Life and death re- 

 quire time. (Prop. XV, B. 2.) Life and death 

 must be confined to space and distance. (Prop. 

 XX, B. 2.) Life and death are proportionate to 

 the mass of the dying and of the living identities. 



Then, life is but a manifestation of the one whole 

 universal force, which shall form a cedar tree in 

 the mould supplied by one seed, and forms the cab- 

 bage in the mould supplied by another seed. Is 

 that cedar tree contained in that seed? No. For 

 the seed weighed less than one grain, and the tree 

 weighs more than a ton. Was the life of that 

 cedar tree contained in that seed? No. For the 

 tree has produced a million seeds, each one of 

 which had just as much life as the parent seed. 



The tiny seed was directly in contact with few 

 other living identities, and with few primary 

 spheres of void matter, the tree has broadened out 

 that contact a millionfold. 



Then, shall the great tree lay hold, with unnum- 

 bered subordinate identities in its own proper iden- 

 tity, on that which builds up its mass and its life? 

 But that also which causes death and dismember- 

 ment shall lay hold on him at innumerable points. 



"Unto him that hath shall be given," and that 

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