4 THE WORLD OF LIFE 



appears to sum up the main distinctive characters of living 

 things : — 



Life is that 'power which, primarily from air and water and 

 the substances dissolved therein, builds up organised and highly 

 complex structures possessing definite forms and functions: 

 these are preserved m a continuous state of decay and repair by 

 internal circulation of fluids and gases; they reproduce their 

 like, go through various phases of youth, maturity, and age, 

 die, and quickly decompose into their constituent elements. 

 They thus form continuous series of similar individuals; and, 

 so long as external conditions render their existence possible, 

 seem to possess a potential immortality. 



The characteristics here enumerated are those which apply 

 to both plants and animals, and to no other forms of matter 

 whatever. It is often stated that crystals exhibit the essential 

 features of some of the lowest plants ; but it is evident that, 

 with the exception of the one item of " definite form/^ they 

 in no way resemble living organisms. There is no doubt, how- 

 ever, that crystals do exhibit definite forms, built up by the 

 atoms or molecules of various elements or compounds under 

 special conditions. But this takes us a very small way towards 

 the complex structure and organisation of living things. 



There are still people who vaguely believe that ^^ stones 

 grow," or that '^ all matter is really alive," or that, in their 

 lowest and simplest forms, the organic and the inorganic are 

 indistinguishable. For these ideas, however, there is not a 

 particle of scientific justification. But the belief that '^ life " 

 is a product of matter acted upon by chemical, electrical, or 

 other physical forces, is very widely accepted by men of science 

 at the present day, perhaps by a majority. It is, in fact, held 

 to be the only scientific view, under the name of ^' monism " ; 

 while the belief that ^^ life " is sui generis, that it is due to 

 other laws than those which act upon dead or unorganised 

 matter, that it affords evidence of an indwelling power and 

 guidance of a special nature, is held to be unscientific — to 

 be, in fact, an indication of something akin to, if not actually 



