THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



87 



/ 



:iv. 



fall into shapes belonging to one or other of the ordi- 

 nary crystalline types of form. 



But the prevailing shapes of crystals and of organisms 

 respectively those differences of form which are sup- 

 posed to be characteristic and peculiar to each— are ob- 

 viously referrible in part to the nature of the constituent 



r LnixG 5iAnj molecules, and in part to the nature of the medium 



in which these molecules aggregate.' The more closely 



n Foms. THs; the molecules of the crystalloid and the medium in 

 influence of 'Ci ^^^j^l^ they unite approximate to colloidal complexity 



«n Cr)-stalline» ^^ j^.^^ ^^ ^^^.^ -^ ^j^.^^ Organisms are found, 



'•lenomena ofEr „ . , 



reductive FaA the more do the shapes of the crystalloid aggregates 



i / _ 



oduction. Expk resemble those of the simplest organisms. This has 



Phenomena ofE 



Physiological 11: 



■e Agency. Ho? 



Mr 



and they^ together with other considerations now to 

 ;ver Organisms I be mentioned, almost compel assent to the correctness 



Mr 



and 



Potency of 'Cc: q{ the view already advanced 

 :rystals. Hov^. ^^^^^^^ Others, to the effect that the shape and structure 



oducts. 



Either for 



Probi 



■ , 



of any organism is to be regarded as the result of 

 l^it^y between pf- the play of the molecular affinities of the organizable 



matter under the influence of the forces operative in its 

 medium— that, in fact, organisms are produced owing 

 to, and under the influence of, precisely the same laws 

 as those which give birth to and regulate the form 

 of crystals. Unless this be so, how are we to explain 

 the various cases of restoration of lost parts in animals 

 how, in fact, are we to give an account of the 



novo. Fundaits- 



cular Uvs go* 



re<=pectively. 1^ 



Highest modes' 



er appe^'' 



k^ 



or 



one 



less 



atsocv^^ 



or altog 



otbc 



I 



r^piilia'j' phenomena of reproduction by fission or gemmation. 







if 



in which mere isolated parts of an organism grow so 



