304 Researches in the Theory and Calculus of Operations. 



The absorbent and solvent oceanic waters became loaded 

 with gaseous and earthy matters, the former imbibed from 

 the atmosphere, the latter washed from the dry land by the 

 rains. In the shallows and depths of this turbid ocean fluid, 

 lying quietly under the brooding influence of the solar rays 

 gently evolving the modifying forces of heat and light and 

 electro-magnetism, chemical affinities came into play 

 between sundry components, forming a new compound in 

 the shape of a small globule in action, which radiates force 

 into the surrounding weaker but reactive medium. The in- 

 tensity of the radiated force decreases with the increase of 

 distance from the centre of the globule, and at a certain 

 distance becomes just equal to the encountered resisting 

 force of the medium; at which spherical limit, the opposing 

 forces weave by compression a membrane forming a cell 

 enclosing the globule. Hence arises reflection towards the 

 centre : nuclei are formed, and a nucleus with nucleolus at 

 the centre ; the tension within the cell continues to increase, 

 until the cell bursts and the germ of a new cell is expelled, 

 possessing the identical properties of its parent because it 

 was impressed with the resultant of every single step in 

 its growth. With an intensity of force it may be infinite- 

 simally less than that of its parent, the new cell proceeds in 

 like manner to propagate a race of new cells, either in line 

 or in congeries. [Life is born ! Cesar has crossed the Ru- 

 bicon; Grant has passed the Rapidan, and a wide field of 

 anxious contention opens before us.] 



32. Besides the quiet influences of the Sun and other 

 forces enumerated, other forces may intervene during the 

 growth of our elementary globule : one of the first at hand 

 is that of motion produced by the gentle movement or 

 oscillation of the watery medium, which would tend to 

 partially divert spherical growth into a polar form of deve- 

 lopment and subsequent growth, by way of reaction, on 

 opposing sides of the globule, in the shape of fins, etc., 



