Z//-^, 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



27 



^^ of those im/ union occurs. Why does oxygen unite with hydrogen 



to form water ? why does hydrogen unite with nitrogen 



:he 



soluti 



H 



loni 



■^ can 



on the 



\ 



only gi,,, 



subject, 



L 



express 



to form ammonia ? Probably for a reason similar to 

 that which enables colloid molecules to give rise to 

 those much subtler combinations which form the basis 



•u,, ^„ , ' of what we call 'living matter'. 



^^y any of the; .. . ., • , . 



jr 



as it were; 

 products do [ 



It is, we think, of importance to call attention to 

 this consideration that living matter is the result of a 

 molecular combination, towards the occurrence of which 



— J -_ — — .. 



-3 i^an ^v^^ith suitable materials) there may be just as natural 

 }ey have origii an aptitude as there is to the formation of any of the 

 ,1 have taken; simpler combinations which are daily occurring on all 

 . And in tlit sides of us. Let us look to the facts, and see how 



capable they are of bearing such an interpretation if 

 we could but clear away all the misconceptions which 

 lasks must to are only too apt to warp our judgment. 



iduced, it sec 

 le organisms I 



^r 



which badt 



Nitrate 



rearran'^eineii! and water with a few saline substances, constitute the 



olloid molt 



modified 



e colioiQ "'"" ^ - - '"- 



, gjyes physical forces operating in the living plant, fall into 



ecular in 



teracti 



ition, so may 



olecular 

 d other 



intetJ 



it an 



^y 



s 



uch 



ifltet* 



ce 



similar modes of combination, and go to increase the 

 bulk of its living tissues. Thus out of simplest ele- 

 ments is living protoplasm continually being produced 

 in the substance of every plant that grows — thus are 

 those higher combinations, resulting in the production 

 of living matter, continually brought about — thus is 

 the supposed gulf between the living and the not-living 



take pla . . „ 



be all th^ ^ continually bridged. 



■ that we 



are 



ef 



No 



lost 



sir^P 



le 



clif' 



as starting-points for carrying on the nutrition of 



