An Introduction to a Biology 



CHAPTER I 



" You who speculate on the nature of things, I praise you not 

 for knowing the processes which nature ordinarily effects of her- 

 self, but rejoice if so be that you know the issue of such things 

 as your mind conceives." LEONARDO DA VINCI. 



1. Man is the best starting-point for the study of life. 2. Scien- 

 tific investigation is the human activity, the critical study of 

 which is the most urgent. 3. Scientific investigation consists 

 of description and interpretation. 4. Interpretation. Bio- 

 logical Laws : the urgency of locating them. 5. Words : the 

 necessity of keeping a sharp eye on the wanderings of their 

 meanings. 6. A glance at our present interpretation of life 

 from the historical quarter. 7. On the fitting of theory to 

 the facts of life. 



THE function of biology, if we adopt the 

 literal, etymological meaning of the word, 

 is to describe and interpret the essential 

 manifestations of life, and to extract from these 

 interpretations a conception, or theory, of life. But 

 the word " biology " has come to be used in certain 

 very much restricted senses, of which it will suffice 

 to mention two. In its commonest signification 

 it merely serves as a convenient common term 

 for the subject matter of both botany and zoology. 

 Another common meaning of it is the study of the 



