124 Pr.OPESSOR LIONEL BEALE, F.E.C.P., F.R.S., ON THE 



vestige in the early period of embryonic life. At this earliest, 

 period, all is structureless, and of the substances resulting 

 from the death of the living matter, water constitutes the 

 largest proportion. It is at this time that the most important 

 vital changes are in operation, the vital powers determining 

 which, have been inherited from organisms preceding, and are 

 transmissible to the germs of those which are about to 

 follow. 



In development generally, and in each individual organism,, 

 progressing phenomena are recognized from the earliest period 

 of the life of the germ, to the mature state of the living 

 organism. In man, from early life, progressive vital action in 

 the organism generally — is associated with advance in menial 

 power, but which continues and increases, as youth leads on to» 

 adult life and maturity, and in some instances even in old age. 



The living matter of the embryo of man at an early period 

 of development could not be identified or distinguished fronn 

 that of animals, although the unseen changes and preparation 

 for the formation of man's organs so different in structure and 

 power, proceed from the first according to a definite but differ- 

 ent plan. During these early, and all important developmental 

 changes, the living particles by which the several different- 

 tissues and organs are formed, are without structure., their chief 

 constituent being water. 



It is not in form, composition, material properties,, colour or 

 appearance, that the several embryos of the different classes 

 and species of organisms in nature differ from one another, but 

 in vital poiver which is undemonstrable — power which operates 

 unseen and in darkness by which all growth and structure 

 formation in the life world have been determined from the firs-t 

 beginning of life, up to the present time. 



Can anyone doubt that this wonderful life-power has been 

 handed down from living particle to non-living particle, or that 

 the capacity of forming structure has uninterruptedly proceeded 

 through the ages without a break, modified in some cases by 

 the influence of external conditions, and as I venture to think 

 also in obedience to the original capacity of the vital power,, 

 and to change in potency after a certain time, with which the 

 primordial living matter was endowed at the time of its 

 creation. But from the early period of development of the 

 germ, man is man — animal animal — and plant plant ; each 

 kind possessing its own 3haracteristic life-power, inherited from 

 its predecessors. 



1 am sorry to differ very decidedly from the greut niajjpritj 



