CONTINUITY OF VITAL PROCESSES 37 



That the elements are the foundation-stones of 

 Nature was the opinion of Clerk Maxwell. That 

 they are merely groups of smaller atoms, systems 

 which have survived on account of their stability, is 

 the opinion of his successor, Professor J. J. Thomson. 

 The electron is the atom of negative electricity. 

 The positive atom may be, and probably is, some- 

 thing still smaller, but which for some reason has 

 not yet been isolated from what is supposed to be 

 the chemical atom. So is it with that grand sur- 

 vival of unstable matter, living proteid. We may, if 

 we so think, regard it as beyond artificial synthesis 

 at the present day ; we may, if we so Avish, regard it 

 as indistinguishable in those phenomena we call vital, 

 whether natural or artificial, if that were possible. 

 As we have said, our studies in these matters have 

 led us to form different opinions. 



That the most elementary form of living matter 

 which we see around us has always been and always 

 will be the most elementary is the conclusion which 

 some of us in moments of enthusiasm have not 

 been inclined to doubt : but it is a conclusion for 

 which we have failed to find the slightest particle of 

 evidence. 



No one can deny that proteids are the constituents 

 of living matter which has been stable enough to 

 survive, but this is altogether beside the point at issue. 

 It is not less beside the point to suppose that the 

 more elementary types of life in the continuous series 

 we have outlined can be transformed one into 

 another, although this may or may not be possible ; 



