LECTURE III. 



THE METHOD BY WHICH THE CAUSES OF 

 THE PRESENT AND PAST CONDITIONS 

 OF ORGANIC NATURE ARE TO BE 

 DISCOVERED. — THE ORIGINATION OF 

 LIVING BEINGS. 



In the two preceding lectures I have endeavoured 

 to indicate to you the extent of the subject-matter of 

 the inquiry upon which we are engaged; and now, 

 having thus acquired some conception of the Past and 

 Present phenomena of Organic Nature, I must turn, 

 to-night, to that which constitutes the great problem 

 which we have set before ourselves ; — I mean, the ques- 

 tion of what knowledge we have of the causes of these 

 phenomena of organic nature, and how such knowledge 

 is obtainable. 



Here, on the threshold of the inquiry, an objection 

 meets us. There are in the world a number of 

 extremely worthy, well-meaning persons, whose judg- 

 ments and opinions are entitled to the utmost respect 

 on account of their sincerity, who are of opinion that 

 Vital Phenomena, and especially all questions relating 

 to the origin of vital phenomena, are questions quite 



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