THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 79 



science. No satisfactory evidence has ever been adduced to show 

 that dead matter of itself can give birth to living organisms. 



As regards the fossilized remains now before us, which were 

 embedded in the sediment of ancient seas — that they existed as 

 living things can scarcely be disputed. In the words of a recent 

 writer : 



" Once they were not, 

 And now they are not, 

 And this is the sum we know." 



