84 
On the Origin of Life. By Lionel S. Beale. 
We have now reached the point where we are brought face to 
face with the modern developments of the old doctrine of spontaneous 
generation. 
I cannot but remark that the more minutely investigation is 
carried out — the more thoroughly and intently facts bearing upon 
the matter are examined — the more improbable, in my judgment, 
does it appear that any living form should be derived direct from 
the non-living. Notwithstanding all that has been recently written 
upon this subject, I cannot but feel surprised that at this time many 
good reasoners should decide in favour of the de novo origin even of 
bacteria. Whether we consider the matter from the experimental 
side only, or study the evidence obtained in a general survey of 
nature, or carefully reflect upon the facts learnt from investigations 
concerning the properties of living and non-living matter, with the 
aid of the most perfect instruments of minute research now at com- 
mand, or from other standpoints, the conclusion seems to me 
irresistible that the verdict of a jury of well-educated men would 
be against the direct origin of any form of living from any form of 
non-living. 
Driven from one position to another, the advocates of spon- 
taneous generation have entrenched themselves in the unassailable 
stronghold of experimental investigation. Here they may hold their 
own for any length of time, for no one can say what may not be 
demonstrated by new experiments in the time to come. Nay, 
although the conflicting results of different skilled experimenters, 
whose experiments have been conducted upon the same principles and 
professedly in the same way, even to the minutest details, may shake 
the confidence of some in the experimental method of inquiry, it is 
certain that the teachings of experiment will finally prevail over all 
other information. 
But the modern advocate of abiogenesis should be skilled not 
only in explaining facts, but in explaining facts away. The fact 
that bacteria germs exist in all parts of the higher organisms, in 
the most internal parts as well as upon the surface of man's body, 
is to be accounted for by their spontaneous origin ! Although 
millions are to be found about the mouth and upon the surface, and 
it can be shown that it is easy enough for them to get from the 
outside amongst the tissues within, we are asked to believe that 
those inside originated there direct from the non-living, or, as an 
alternative proposition, that they were derived not from parental 
bacteria, but by transmutation from some of the constituents of the 
tissues, on the principle that a living fungus comes not from a 
fungus germ, but from a dying tree. The next suggestion will be 
that man, after all, is but an aggregation of lower forms, peculiarly 
conditioned for a time, but which assume their ordinary forms when 
their environment shall be modified, as it must be at death. 
