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this for nature’s preparatory course of study, and she manufac- 
tures life through the agencies of electricity and chemistry ; 
perhaps aided by occult forces of which we know nothing. She 
bestows, likewise, determinate forms. 
According to others, when the physical world was prepared 
for the living, “ life pressed in,” the conditions being suitable. 
Pressed in — where from ? how came the life to be ? And 
how came it to be at hand, just in the nick of time ? It must 
have come from somewhere ; it must have had previous 
existence. Whence came it ? and what was that previous 
existence ? No matter ; it pressed in ; and that is, doubtless, 
satisfactory to the theorist. 
But all are not content with this sort of off-hand proceeding. 
For instance, they call in the aid of chemistry and electricity. 
“ It may be,” says Professor Huxley, “ that it is impossible 
for us to produce the conditions requisite to the origination of 
life ; but we must speak modestly about the matter ; and 
recollect that science has put her foot upon the bottom round 
of the ladder.” This is passing strange ; for he himself, in 
another place, quotes M. Pasteur’s experiments, to prove that 
there is no such thing as spontaneous generation ; and gives 
in his adhesion to that doctrine. He adds, however, that it 
in no way interferes with the possibility of the fabrication of 
organic matters, by the direct method to which he referred 
— chemistry. If so, I confess I fail to understand what is 
spontaneous generation. Surely, life resulting from chemical 
processes — supposing the production possible — could only be 
by bringing together the necessary ingredients, in the pro- 
portions required, and under the conditions demanded — when 
life would spontaneously appear. If it be pretended that 
spontaneity signifies an arising at its own will — voluntarily — 
in fact, self-evolving — stilly what do these phrases mean ? 
They all presuppose existence before manifestation. 
In these three last words — existence before manifestation — 
lies the great mystery of life. Life must have been for life 
to be. Who pretends to explain how life comes to be before 
life was ? We have heard and read much assertion that so it 
is ; — but may we be allowed to ask for the evidence ? If 
Professors Huxley or Tyndall, or any other man of science, 
will favour us with reasons why or how matter can produce 
what it does not possess, it would greatly facilitate a settle- 
ment of the question. Matter may form, by the agency of 
elemental disturbances, the shape of a pig; but where is the 
grunt to come from ? 
In relation to life, matter is nothing. Life is independent 
of matter. This is plain ; for the tissues dissolve as soon as. 
