LIFE AND MIND 



elements as she does, and bless the banns as she 

 seems to, we could build a man out of a clay-bank. 

 But clearly physics and chemistry alone, as we know 

 and practice them, are not equal to the task. 



in 



One of the fundamental characteristics of life is 

 power of adaptation; it will adapt itself to almost 

 any condition; it is willing and accommodating. 

 It is like a stream that can be turned into various 

 channels; the gall insects turn it into channels to 

 suit their ends when they sting the leaf of a tree or 

 the stalk of a plant, and deposit an egg in the wound. 

 "Build me a home and a nursery for my young," 

 says the insect. "With all my heart," says the leaf, 

 and forthwith forgets its function as a leaf, and pro- 

 ceeds to build up a structure, often of great delicacy 

 and complexity, to house and cradle its enemy. 

 The current of life flows on blindly and takes any 

 form imposed upon it. But in the case of the vege- 

 table galls it takes life to control life. Man cannot 

 produce these galls by artificial means. But we can 

 take various mechanical and chemical liberties with 

 embryonic animal life in its lower sea-forms. Pro- 

 fessor Loeb has fertilized the eggs of sea-urchins by 

 artificial means. The eggs of certain forms may be 

 made to produce twins by altering the constitution 

 of the sea-water, and the twins can be made to grow 

 together so as to produce monstrosities by another 



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