:r. 



CHAPTER III. 



NATURE OF ORGANIZABLE MATERIALS AND OF LOWEST 



LIVING THINGS. 



No real distinction between Organic and Inorganic matter. Artificial 

 Production of Organic Compounds. Orgafiizahle matter. Its con- 

 stitution and Properties. Belongs to colloidal division of matter. 

 Professor Graham's views on colloids. Original Evolution of Organic 

 Matter on our Globe. Primordial Evolution of Living Things. 

 Probable nature of these. The factors 'being a plastic material 

 and ethereal undulations. Conversion of insensible into sensible 

 motion. Mr. Herbert Spencer's explanations. Important nature 

 of these. Constructive functions of Plants. Continual conversion 

 of non-living into Living Matter in processes of Growth. 



Views of Life to be tested by nature of simplest living things. Illustra- 

 tions of physical theory. Death in higher Animals. Different de- 

 grees of ' Individuation.* Death in lower Organisms. 



Lowest present Living Things. A third Organic Kingdom, Protista, 

 intermediate between Plants and Animals. Nature of its simplest 

 Forms. The Protoplasm Theory. No Absolute Commencement 

 of Life. 



T^EFORE Wohler announced to the scientific world 



n 



that he had succeeded in building up an organic 



compound in his laboratory with the aid of no more 

 mysterious agencies than usually lie at the chemist's 

 disposal, and before the labours of other distinguished 

 chemists had been crowned with a like success, there 



ble of bein 



capa 

 of nature- 



A 



hitherto 



existed 



l^on as 



that 



were 



included c 

 which were n. 

 made up the 

 whilst under tl 

 compounds 



an 



to exisi 



so-called organ 

 regarded as alt 

 position— for t 

 precisely the s 



in the 



morga 



origin, Thj\\ 



tad been 



The 



produ 



action of 



1 



inadcqi 

 ''^ therefore t 

 ''^^ from all 



ot 



ated. 



i- the 



^^"^ernin. 



Hi 



special 



Lif 



anc 



) 



^'OL. 



'"■ leas 



t 



I. 



5 



