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THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE, 



127 



of the multitudinous forms of living matter in exist- 

 ence impels us to believe (however difficult it may be 

 to understand) that this mere inherent tendency to 

 undergo differentiation, whose existence we are able 

 to affirm a priori^ is identical with, or at least dis- 

 plays itself as, what we are in the habit of calling an 

 ^ organizing ^ tendency. 



Such is the conclusion which a survey of the facts 

 seems almost to force upon us. And as it appears to 



r 



me, we cannot consistently deny that living matter 

 possesses an inherent tendency to develop, unless we 

 are prepared at the same time to deny one of the 

 first principles of the Evolution philosophy, by which 

 we are taught that a homogeneous aggregate must 

 inevitably become heterogeneous, and that the amount 

 of heterogeneity must continually increase, partly 

 through the operation of intrinsic attractions, and 

 partly under the influence of externally incident forces. 

 A new-born speck of living matter is merely a specimen 

 of such a homogeneous aggregate which, from its very 

 nature, is especially suited to undergo secondary differ- 

 entiations. That such differentiations would be iden- 

 tical with 'organizing' changes could not have been pre- 

 dicated a prion ; although, after observation has taught 



' Every differentiated part is not simply a seat of further differentia- 

 tions, but also a parent of further differentiations; since in growing 

 unlike other parts, it becomes a centre of unlike reactions on incident 

 forces, and by so adding to the diversity of forces at work, adds to the 

 diversity of effects produced. This multiplication of effects is proved to 

 be similarly traceable throughout Nature.' 



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