The Presidenfs Address. Bij L. S. Bedle, F.B.8. 197 



has yet been obtained in favour of the direct conversion of non- 

 hving matter of any kind into a living form, while there is 

 nothing to indicate that the passage from the non-living to the 

 living vyas effected by gradual change, as has been suggested by 

 some, it is as reasonable to assume that several infinitesimal life- 

 forms with very different powers of development sprang at once 

 into life, though the ultimate form to be assumed was postponed 

 ior ages, as that one single living form only was so formed 

 with the power both of endless monotonous repetition, as well as 

 of infinite and never-ceasing capacity of variation and change, one 

 or other of these opposite attributes being accidentally exercised or 

 capriciously taken advantage of by such of the descendants as were 

 assured that they were, above all the rest, most fitted to survive. 



Doctrines of evolution are, no doubt, an advance upon the 

 direct mechanical formation of fully formed organisms hypothesis ; 

 but although some evolutionists have so expressed themselves as to 

 lead us to infer that an idea so absurd as the above had been 

 entertained, it need scarcely be said the inference is their own and 

 totally unfounded, suggested by themselves for the satisfaction of 

 ridiculing it and exposing its inferiority to their own hypothesis. 

 No doctrine of evolution yet put forward seems to afford any help to 

 those who are familiar with the characters of the living matter of 

 different organisms, as far as these can be elucidated by any means 

 at present known. Evolutionists generally do not take cognizance 

 of the difficulties which are so patent to microscopical observers. 

 Some of them have hardly condescended to notice the living 

 matter, out of which and by which all the forms of life they 

 profess to account for are developed. It is true that it has been 

 suggested that there are structural differences in the apparently 

 similar matter, which structural differences result in the production 

 of such dissimilar beings ; but speculations concerning hypothetical 

 structure are as futile as those which deal with the hypothetical 

 form and properties of the hypothetical inhabitants of Jupiter. 



All living matter is, I repeat, structureless, and it is to the 

 power rather than to the mere matter we must look for the 

 explanation of the marvellous differences in the beings evolved by 

 different kinds. The similarity of various embryos of different 

 animals has often been alluded to, and it has been said, for example, 

 that at a certain period of development the embryo of man 

 could not be distinguished from that of the dog. That there is 

 a general rough resemblance is perfectly true, but, on the other 

 hand, any one who examined the minute structure of corre- 

 sponding tissues and organs, would not find the likeness so great 

 as is supposed, while he would be struck with the great number of 

 points of difference. Not one structure could be found in any part 

 of one embryo which did not exhibit peculiarities by which it 



