230 INDUCTION OF 



rangement of the particles which constitutes organic 

 matter, and those which tend to reduce organic 

 matter to the condition of inorganic compounds. The 

 former of these motions (or forms of action) is known 

 as nutrition, the latter as decomposition. 



It is sometimes said that decomposition results 

 from the operation of chemical affinity, and that 

 nutrition is the operation of the vital force. I shall 

 for the present use these words with these meanings. 

 If the idea of a resistance to the motion of decompo- 

 sition be introduced, it may readily be conceived that 

 the chemical and vital actions (as above defined) bear 

 to each other the same relation as that which exists 

 between the downward and upward motions of a 

 pendulum. The chemical motion, not being com- 

 pleted, may become a motion opposed to chemical 

 attraction. 



The proofs I shall adduce of this hypothesis are 



I. That it is indicated by the phenomena of life. 



II. That it is conformable to the general course of 

 nature. 



I. It is indicated by the phenomena of life. 



I do not now speak of the origination of life. 



