Ill 



ON THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF LIFE 1 

 [1868] 



IN order to make the title of this discourse 

 generally intelligible, I have translated the term 

 " Protoplasm," which is the scientific name of the 

 substance of which I am about to speak, by the 

 words " the physical basis of life." I suppose that, 

 to many, the idea that there is such a thing as a 

 physical basis, or matter, of life may be novel 



1 The substance of this paper was contained in a discourse 

 which was delivered in Edinburgh on the evening of Sunday, 

 the 8th of November, 1868 being the first of a series of Sun- 

 day evening addresses upon non-theological topics, instituted by 

 the Rev. J. Cran brook. Some phrases, which could possess only 

 itoryand local interest have been omitted'; instead of 

 the newspaper report of the An-hbishop of York's address, his 

 Grace's subsequently published pamphlet On the Limit* uf 

 riiil'imiplncal Im/uiry is quoted ; and I have, here and there, 

 endeavoured to express my meaning more fully and clearly than 

 i to have done in speaking if I may judge by sundry 

 criticisms upon what I am supposed to have said, which have 

 appeared. |',ut in substance, and, so far as my recollection 

 in form, what is here written corresponds with what was 

 there said. 



