WATER ESSENTIAL TO ALL LIFE. 219; 



matter. It is the living matter which has formed the envelope 

 which is no long'cr living. 



In many of the lower creatures and in plants that live in 

 water, small particles of living- matter derived from pre- 

 viously existing living matter may escape into the water : 

 and the first thing that happens, is that a thin layer of the 

 surface dies and becomes the so-called " cell wall." This 

 protects the living matter Avithin, which may go on growing 

 for a considerable time. The envelope, as in many of the 

 microscopic fungi, may gradually increase in thickness until 

 a strong protective covering is formed like the capsule of a 

 seed. In all. this covering, or envelope, is outside ; but it is 

 not deposited from a solution, or from substances around it, 

 as in the case of the accumulation of a deposit or enlarge- 

 ment of a crystal, but the thickening is always from icitldu. 

 The oldest, the part of the envelope which was first produced, 

 is outside. 



If yon consider the enlargement of a stone or a snowball, 

 with whicrh cells have been compared, the last part 

 deposited, is that Avhicli is outside. You see then the 

 absolute difference between what only can correctly be 

 called (jroicth in the life world, and acigregatlou or deposition or 

 precipitaiioji which occur in the non-living woi'ld. Herbert 

 Spencer, years ago, advanced the doctrine that growth was 

 a kind of deposition, but this is not so, and cannot be. In 

 life there is alwaj-s matter in an exceptional and peculiar 

 state, living matter, or Bioplasm, from, and by which every- 

 thing in living nature is formed. Years ago, Avlien I brought 

 forward the question of the nature of life and growth, and 

 formation, I spoke of germinal matter ; because the living- 

 substance universally present in every living organism like 

 that in every '' germ," is alice. The, material which teas formed 

 from it but is not living, was termed, " Formed material.'' So 

 you see that even in a single " cell " we are not dealing with 

 living matter only. In all cases, we have a certain 

 proportion of living matter Avithin, which is protected by 

 a thin membrane or layer of tissue, Avhich in some cases 

 becomes very thick, but all of Avhich Avas formed from the 

 li\'ing matter. This is outside, and it is never liAdng. 



This protectiA'e substance especially Avhen thin, performs 

 the office of a filter. Everything that is taken up by a liA^ing 

 thing for nutrition is dissolved, and when the solution passes 

 through the membrane, the access of solid particles is 

 prcA'ented, so that they do not come in contact Avitli the liAang 



