198 Spiritual Evolution of Society 



This is one of the finest conceptions of the Eternal, 

 which we owe to that sweet singer Elizabeth Barrett 

 Browning. Never has more beautiful expression been 

 given to this sublime thought. 



Professor Schafer, in his presidential address at the 

 British Association meeting of last year, has en- 

 deavoured to bridge the chasm between inorganic 

 matter pure and simple and organic living matter. He 

 revives the old belief — spontaneous generation — and 

 presents it in a somewhat new dress, and does so in a 

 most able and attractive manner. But it cannot be 

 said that he has brought us any nearer to a solution of 

 the question of the origin of life. No doubt he has 

 surprised scientific men generally by taking up a posi- 

 tion which can only be described as antagonistic to the 

 axiom of Pasteur — than whom no greater chemist or 

 man of science has yet appeared — " omne vivum ex 

 vivo." In fact, it would appear, according to the new 

 doctrine, or rather the new statement of an old 

 doctrine, that multitudinous transmutations have in 

 all probability been going on — fortuitous combinations 

 of chemical atoms — with the resultant protoplasm full 

 of vital impulse. Without any demonstration of such 

 a process the scientific mind is bound to put these 

 suggestions aside — however striking and elaborate the 

 analogies presented for our consideration — as mere 

 efforts of the imagination. After all, it is only Haeckel 

 redivivus. No doubt the Monistic theory is a wonder- 

 ful conception and deserving every consideration, but 

 scientific men cannot accept theories which do not 

 rest on solid fact. It may be asked : " Do you then 

 positively deny that the chemist in his laboratory 

 may not some day combine oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, 

 nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium chloride, calcium salts, 

 magnesium, potassium, and iron in water, so as to get 

 resultant living protoplasm ? " The only answer 



