THE BREATH OF LIFE 



speak, in the way the molecules and atoms of our 

 bodies take hold of hands and perform their mystic 

 dances in the inner temple of life. But one would 

 like to know who or what pipes the tune and directs 

 the figures of the dance. 



In the case of the beechnuts, what is it that lies 

 dormant in the substance of the nuts and becomes 

 alive, under the influence of the warmth and moist- 

 ure of spring, and puts out a radicle that pierces the 

 dry leaves like an awl? The pebbles, though they 

 contain the same chemical elements, do not become 

 active and put out a radicle. 



The chemico-physical explanation of the universe 

 goes but a little way. These are the tools of the cre- 

 ative process, but they are not that process, nor its 

 prime cause. Start the flame of life going, and the 

 rest may be explained in terms of chemistry; start 

 the human body developing, and physiological proc- 

 esses explain its growth; but why it becomes a man 

 and not a monkey — what explains that? 



