338 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 
in regard to the forms of crystals. The differences which 
exist between the simplest organic individuals and inorganic 
crystals are determined by the solid state of aggregation of 
the latter, and by the semi-fluid state of the former. 
Beyond that the causes producing form are exactly the 
same in both. This conviction forces itself upon us-most 
clearly, if we compare the exceedingly remarkable pheno- 
mena of growth, adaptation, and the “correlation of parts” 
of developing crystals with the corresponding phenomena 
of the origin of the simplest organic individuals (Monera 
and cells). The analogy between the two is so great that, 
in reality, no accurate boundary can be drawn. In my 
General Morphology I have quoted in support of this a 
number of striking facts (Gen. Morph. 1. 146, 156, 158.) 
If we vividly picture to ourselves this “wnity of 
organic and inorganic nature,” this essential agreement of 
organisms and anorgana in matter, form, and force, and if 
we bear in mind that we are not able to establish any 
one fundamental distinction between these two groups of 
bodies (as was formerly generally assumed), then the ques- 
tion of spontaneous generation will lose a great deal of the 
difficulty which at first seems to surround it. Then the 
development of the first organism out of inorganic matter 
will appear a much more easily conceivable and intelligible 
process than has hitherto been the case, whilst an artificial 
absolute barrier between organic or animate, and inorganic 
or inanimate nature was maintained. 
In the question of spontaneous generation, or archigony, 
which we can now answer more definitely, it must be borne 
in mind that by this conception we understand generally 
the non-parental generation of an organic individual, the 
