328 -THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 
groups of natural bodies, the so-called inanimate or inor- 
ganic, and the animate or organic bodies, and then estab- 
lish what is common to, and what are the differences be- 
tween, the two groups. It is desirable to go somewhat care- 
fully into the comparison of organisms and anorgana, 
since it is commonly very much neglected, although it is 
necessary for a right understanding of nature from the 
monistic point of view. It will be most advantageous here 
to look separately at the three fundamental properties of 
every natural body; these are matter, form, and force. Let 
us begin with matter. (Gen. Morph. iii.) 
By chemistry we have succeeded in analysing all bodies 
known to us into a small number of elements or simple sub- 
stances, which- cannot be further divided, for example, 
carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and the different metals: 
potassium, sodium, iron, gold, ete. At present we know 
about seventy such elements or simple substances. The 
majority of them are unimportant and rare; the minority 
only are widely distributed, and compose not only most of 
the anorgana, but also all organisms. If we compare those 
elements which constitute the body of organisms with those 
which are met with in anorgana, we have first to note the 
highly important fact that in animal and vegetable bodies 
no element occurs but what can be found outside of them in 
inanimate nature. There are no special organic elements or 
simple organic substances. 
The chemical and physical differences existing between 
organisms and anorgana, consequently, do not.lie in their 
material foundation; they do not arise from the different 
nature of the elements composing them, but from the dif- 
ferent manner in which the latter are united by chemical 
