104 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



means 



lex 



only factors necessary for bringing about this marvel- 

 lous transformation, for enabling Living Matter tn 



originate in the tissues of plants by . 



rearrangement of pre-existing not-living elements. 



To some these views concerning the nature of Life 

 and vital manifestations may seem to be sadly insuffi- 

 cient^ reducing it, as the theory does, to a mere inter- 

 play between a material aggregate of a particular kind 



environment 



must 



the only fair way, in judging of the adequacy of such 

 an hypothesis, is to consider how far it is applicable 



omena 



more 



these higher organisms, 



lo'west Living Things. The 



forms of Life, the more apt are we to be bhnded to 

 the real and essential nature of the phenomena taking 

 place, owing to the greater complexity which has arisen 

 in their various functions step by step with the struc- 

 tural differentiation of the organism itself. Never- 

 theless, even from phenomena presented by some of 



evidence may be obtained 



+ 



which is certainly more reconcilable with the con- 

 ceptions of Life to which we have just been alluding 

 than with any other. 



When seeds of wheat, produced by living plants in 

 times antecedent to the Pharaohs, can remain in the 

 Egyptian catacombs, through century after century 

 displaying of course no vital manifestations, but never 

 theless retaining the potentiality of growing into per 





■ 



m 



feet pl^^l ,, 



into 



co^ 



pre 



same 



tact 

 that, e 



turies 



iflipriso 



the 

 ned 



(vit 

 in 



) m> 



eoflS 



■) 



whitl 



( 



s 



oal of natu^^ 



imposs 



ible; 



or 



possible living 



iokrited struci 

 of such a kind 

 lity to its atomi 

 life,because the 

 and other char 

 giving rise to 

 successive chai 

 of actions an( 



'■ma 



of Life, and t 

 tWng manifest 

 •^ent resulting 



' In connectiou 



; ^^^'^^'^y of 



''P^^e of .,, 



""^ ^^d Phv 



) cocl 



