IS LIFE UNIVERSAL? 149 



not greater, in proportion, than those which separate 

 the particles of what we call solid matter, and that 

 the stellar universe might present, to senses of pro- 

 portionate scope, an appearance like that which solids 

 present to us. A group of stars may thus be re- 

 garded as constituting a substance why not a vital 

 substance ? We certainly know it to be full of the 

 intensest activities, and to be the seat, especially, of 

 two counteracting forces. Why should not this 

 " substance" be moulded, also, into truly vital forms? 

 In short, why should not the multitude of stars con- 

 stitute one or more living wholes ? Would they not 

 thus present to us a strict parallel to the "living 

 wholes" which we have long recognized to be such 

 unliving particles in living relations to each other? 

 True, the earth we live on is inorganic : true, we 

 have good reason to conclude all the orbs contained 

 in space to be inorganic too. This is no reason that 

 they are not " particles" atoms though inorganic 

 by themselves, in an organization of a corresponding 

 magnitude. The atoms of which our own bodies 

 consist, also, are " inorganic by themselves." 



"An organization," I said, "of corresponding 



