METHODS 137 



us writhe with pain and cry aloud phenomena of anatomical 

 order without result so far as the viper's poison is concerned. 



A struggle against any cause of action can be carried on 

 effectively only by means of phenomena of the same scale of 

 magnitude. We struggle against mechanical obstacles by 

 anatomical movements, against colloidal enemies by proto- 

 plasmic modifications, against chemical agents by chemical 

 reagents. It may be said that we can struggle against the 

 viper's venom by flight, which is a locomotor movement ; 

 but this is not a defence against the venom itself, but against 

 being inoculated with the venom an anatomical pheno- 

 menon. In the same way we avoid asphyxia, a phenomenon 

 chemical in appearance, by getting away from the place where 

 the air is unbreathable. 



That which, precisely, is wonderful in present-day animals 

 is the instinct urging them to avoid by means of locomotion 

 colloidal or chemical combats, in which they know they 

 would risk being defeated. This question does not concern 

 us here ; it has to be treated along with that of the origin of 

 species. 



To sum up, the animal 1 being a mechanism in the third 

 degree, may consequently be subjected to causes of action 

 in three dimensions ; in other words, it is in equilibrium with 

 three orders of phenomena which, in nature, may be indepen- 

 dent of each other. By means of the connexions which 

 unite these three mechanisms it thus sets up relations of 

 cause and effect among phenomena which otherwise would 

 exist isolated from each other ; the animal is one centre, of 

 the world. By man's intermediary, the movements of the 

 stars and intramolecular activities may be brought to work 



1 I always take animals as examples ; but all that is said is equally 

 true of plants, only with them the anatomical mechanism is gener- 

 ally of very slight importance. 



