THE BREATH OF LIFE 



emphasis upon the cosmic spirit interacting with 

 matter. Professor Moore lays the emphasis upon 

 the indwelling potencies of matter itself (probably 

 the same spirit conceived of in different terms). 

 Professor Moore philosophizes as truly as does Berg- 

 son when he says "there must exist a whole world of 

 living creatures which the microscope has never 

 shown us, leading up to the bacteria and the pro- 

 tozoa. The brink of life lies not at the production 

 of protozoa and bacteria, which are highly devel- 

 oped inhabitants of our world, but away down 

 among the colloids; and the beginning of life was 

 not a fortuitous event occurring millions of years 

 ago and never again repeated, but one which in its 

 primordial stages keeps on repeating itself all the 

 time in our generation. So that if all intelligent 

 creatures were by some holocaust destroyed, up out 

 of the depths in process of millions of years, intelli- 

 gent beings would once more emerge." This pas- 

 sage shows what a speculative leap or flight the 

 scientific mind is at times compelled to take when it 

 ventures beyond the bounds of positive methods. 

 It is good philosophy, I hope, but we cannot call it 

 science. Thrilled with cosmic emotion, Walt Whit- 

 man made a similar daring assertion : — 



" There is no stoppage, and never can be stoppage, 



If I, you, and the worlds, and all beneath or upon their surfaces, 



were this moment reduced back to a pallid float, it would 



not avail in the long run, 



110 



