THE VITAL ORDER 



while we seem to analyze it. In its nature or es- 

 sence, it is a metaphysical problem, and not one of 

 physical science. Science cannot grasp it; it evap- 

 orates in its crucibles. And science is compelled 

 finally to drive it into an imaginary region — I had 

 almost said, metaphysical region, the region of the 

 invisible, hypothetical atoms of matter. Here in the 

 mysteries of molecular attraction and repulsion, 

 it conceives the secret of life to lie. 



"Life is a wave," says Tyndall, but does not one 

 conceive of something, some force or impulse in the 

 wave that is not of the wave ? What is it that travels 

 along lifting new water each moment up into waves? 

 It is a physical force communicated usually by the 

 winds. When the wave dies upon the shore, this 

 force is dissipated, not lost, or is turned into heat. 

 Why may we not think of life as a vital force travel- 

 ing through matter and lifting up into organic life 

 waves in the same way? But not translatable into 

 any other form of energy because not derivable 

 from any other form. 



Every species of animal has something about it 

 that is unique and individual and that no chemical 

 or physiological analysis of it will show — probably 

 some mode of motion among its ultimate particles 

 that is peculiar to itself. This prevents cross-breed- 

 ing among different species and avoids a chaos of 

 animal and vegetable forms. Living tissues and 

 living organs from one species cannot be grafted 



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