DEFINITIONS. 185 



It may be termed the life of organification, or that by which 

 the various organs of the being are constructed and re- 

 paired. The lower tribes of animals and vegetables are 

 incapable of this life, and before the ovum itself can ob- 

 tain the principle of organification it must be impregnated. 

 Impregnation of the ovum may take place while it is yet 

 in the ovarium, as in plants and some hermaphrodite ani- 

 mals ; or after fission while it is in another part of the pa- 

 rent's body, as in the more perfect animals ; or finally, after 

 it has quitted the body of the parent, as in the case of 

 frogs and fishes. In whatever species organification ex- 

 ists there must be particular organs for generating ova, 

 and others for imbuing them again with organification ; 

 but there are many circumstances which might be ad- 

 duced to support the belief, that, whether from disease 

 or other causes, there are periods when other parts of a 

 body besides the ovarium may produce living germs, 

 and demonstrate thus the polype nature of the cellular 

 substance. 



23. On the whole, then, organized beings differ from 

 inorganic matter, 



] st. In repairing, by the incorporation of foreign sub- 

 stances, the loss to which from Various causes they 

 may be subject, 



2dly. In the emission by transpiration or otherwise 

 of the molecules which made once part of their body. 



3rdly. In a regular development of magnitude till 

 they may have reached that limit which may have been 

 prescribed to them by the Author of their existence. 



4thly. In the power of producing at some period or 

 other of their life beings similar to themselves. 



