6 REPORT 1871. 



perhaps more correctly the phase of life, of a star or nebula, sliows us the material 

 of potential suns, other suns in the process of formation, in vigorous youth, and in 

 every stage of slowly protracted decay. It leads us to look on each planet and 

 satellite as having been at one time a tiny sun, a member of some binary or multiple 

 group, and even now (when almost deprived, at least at its surface, of its original 

 enert^y) presenting an endless variety of subjects for the application of its methods. 

 It leads us forward in thought to the far-distant time when the materials of the 

 present steUar system shall have lost all but their mutual potential energy, but 

 shall in virtue of it form the materials of future larger suns with their attendant 

 planets. Finally, as it alone is able to lead us, by sure steps of deductive reasoning, 

 to the necessary" future of the universe — necessary, that is, if physical laws for ever 

 remain unchanged — so it enables us distinctly to say that the present order of 

 things has not been evolved through infinite past time by the agency of laws now 

 at work, but must have had a distinctive beginning, a state beyond which we are 

 totally unable to penetrate, a state, in fact, which must have been produced by 

 other than the now acting causes. 



Thus also, it is possible that in Physiology it may, ere long, lead to results of a 

 different and much higher order of novelty and interest than those yet obtained, 

 immensely valuable though they certainly are. 



It was a grand step in science which showed that just as the consumption of 

 fuel is necessary to the working of a steam-engine, or to the steady hght of a 

 candle, so the living engine requires food to supply its expenditure in the forma 

 of muscular work and animal heat. Still grander was Rumford's early anticipation 

 that the animal is a more economic engine than any lifeless one we can construct. 

 Even in the explanation of this there is involved a question of very great interest, 

 still unsolved, though Joule and many other philosophers of the highest order 

 have worked at it. Joule has given a suggestion of great value, viz. that the 

 animal resembles an electromagnetic- rather than a heat-engine ; but this throws 

 us back again upon om- difficulties as to the nature of electricity. StiU, even sup- 

 posing this question fully answered, there remains another— perhaps the highest 

 which the human intellect is capable of directly attacking, for it is simply pre- 

 posterous to suppose that we shall ever be able to understand scientifically the 

 source of Consciousness and Volition, not to speak of loftier things — there remains 

 the question of Life. Now it may be startling to some of you, especially if you 

 have not particularly considered the matter, to hear it surmised that possibly we 

 may, by the help of physical principles, especially that of the Dissipation of Energy, 

 some time attam to a notion of what constitutes Life — mere Vitality I repeat, 

 nothing higher. K you think for a moment of the vitality of a plant or a zoophj-te, 

 the remark perhaps will not appear so strange after all. But do not fancy that the 

 Dissipation of Energy to which I refer is at all that of a watch or such-like piece 

 of mere human mechanism, dissipating the low and common form of energy of a 

 single coiled spring. It must be such that evei-y little part of the living organism 

 has its own store of energy constantly being dissipated, and as constantly replenished 

 from external sources drawn upon by the whole arrangement in their harmonious 

 working together. As an illustration of my meaning, though an extremely inade- 

 quate one, suppose Vaucanson's Duck to have been made up of excessively small 

 parts, each microscopically constructed as perfectly as was the comparatively coarse 

 whole, we should have had something barely distinguishable, save by want of 

 instincts, fi'om the living model. But let no one imagine that, should we ever pene- 

 trate this mystery, we shall thereby be enabled to produce, except from life, even the 

 lowest form of life. Our President's splendid suggestion of Vortex-atoms, if it be 

 correct, vdM enable us thoroughly to understand matter, and mathematically to in- 

 vestigate all its properties. Yet its very basis implies the absolute necessity of an 

 intervention of Creative Power to form or to destroy one atom even of dead 

 matter. The question really stands thus : — Is Life physical or no ? For if 

 it be in any sense, however slight or restricted, physical, it is to that extent 

 a subject for the Natural Philosopher, and for him alone. It would be en- 

 tirely out of place for me to discuss such a question as this now and here ; 

 I have introduced it merely that I may say a word or two about what has been 

 so often and so persistently croaked against the British Association, viz. that it 



