LIVING FORMS. THE LAW OF FORM. 117 



Chirurgical Review, for October, 1858), in terms of 

 approbation. He urges, however, that the line of 

 organic growth is rather the result of tractive and 

 resistant forces combined than determined by resist- 

 ance alone. I may remark on this, that I did not 

 design to ignore the operation of the former class of 

 agencies. In the paper alluded to, I say: "The 

 growth or expansion must exist before any question 

 can arise of the direction it shall take ; the molecular 

 actions which result in organic increase must be pre- 

 supposed. Now, these molecular actions come into 

 operation under laws which are doubtless fixed and 

 determinate, and which it may not be impossible to 

 ascertain, but of which no account is attempted here. 

 In the germinating seed, the vital action commences 

 first, and exists most powerfully, in the radicle ; the 

 root, therefore, has the first tendency to grow. From 

 this point the application of the law of living form 

 commences. It is the more necessary to bear in 

 mind this consideration, because it is of universal 

 application. In almost all cases of growth or de- 

 velopment, the vital action manifests itself in some 

 parts rather than in others; it exhibits foci, as it 



