14 THE MYSTERY OF LIFE. 



in question cannot be correctly called physical, 

 for they are very complex, being partly physical 

 and partly vital, while they result in part from 

 the state of things brought about by the action 

 and reaction of vital and physical agencies. 

 The relations in question could never have been 

 established by the operation of physics only. 



But the conclusion accepted is that " life '' is 

 an undiscovered correlative of force. And the 

 7indiscovered — that is, a mere guess or fancy — is 

 a modern idol. Has science, with her observa- 

 tion, her experimental method, and her facts, 

 really been brought to this ? 



Can the Harveian Orator adduce good reasons 

 for his " full and implicit belief that the as yet 

 mysterious phenomena of life are correlative 

 with the lower forces of nature ?" As soon as 

 this has been done, many who dissent, and can 

 express clearly the grounds of their dissent, 

 will cordially embrace the new faith. But 

 surely we who differ may be pardoned for being 

 heartily tired of hearing the argument repeated, 

 " that because nothing passes into us but matter, 

 and nothing passes out of us but matter, and 

 nothing can be got from us after we are dead 

 but matter — therefore we who are actually 



