i] IDEA OF INDIVIDUALITY 17 



example : most Protozoa, such as Amoeba or Para- 

 maecium, definite individuals both, feed and con- 

 tinually grow, and when they are grown to a certain 

 maximum size, divide into two halves (see pp. 41, 56), 

 each of which reorganizes itself into an individual 

 resembling its " parent." Not a jot of substance has 

 been lost : but one individuality has disappeared and 

 two new ones are there in its place. 



Owing to the material properties and limitations 

 of her " physical basis " of protoplasm, Life in her 

 attempt at perfect individuation has been faced by 

 a dilemma with which she has never fully been able 

 to cope. 



Growth, the balance of gain over loss in meta- 

 bolism, is either a necessary attribute of protoplasm, 

 or else, more probably, an easily-acquired property, 

 of such all-round usefulness that every organism has 

 seized upon it (see Roux, 16). At all events it is 

 universal in all protoplasm throughout all or most 

 of its active existence. Now if Life allows this growth 

 to take place indefinitely within the limits of one 

 individual, two awkward things happen ; first of all, 

 the mere increase of bulk brings difficulties (see 

 Chap. II), and secondly the increased weight of the 

 whole needs some kind of a skeleton or scaffolding 

 for its support. This skeleton, since living protoplasm 

 itself is not firm enough, must be built out of dead 

 materials, mere secretions of protoplasm. These have 



