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showing that a portion of the carbonic acid found in the root 
must have other access than by absorption ; the quantity of 
the acid being invariably greater than that supplied to it, 
whether as gas or solution in water. Where does the surplus 
come from ? While we are ignorant of common root purposes 
— of mere vegetable feeding on the inorganic — it must be a 
daring hand which shall aim at plucking life from that whereof 
we have such scanty knowledge, — of the very mechanical con- 
trivances of which we know so little. 
Dashing assertion is not, however, wanting. In Dr. Page's 
work on “ Man," the following is quoted from Professor 
Huxley : — “ The whole analogy of natural operations furnishes 
so complete and crushing an argument against the intervention 
of any but what are termed secondary causes in the produc- 
tion of all the phenomena of the universe, that in view of the 
intimate relations between man and the rest of the living 
world, and between the forces exerted by the latter and all 
other forces, I can see no excuse for doubting that all are 
co-ordinated terms of nature's great progression from the 
formless to the formed, — from the inorganic to the organic, — 
from blind force to conscientious intellect and will." Divide 
this materialistic creed into two sections. We have first, that 
analogy of natural operations completely establishes secondary 
causes in the production of all phenomena ; and second, that 
the phenomena of the universe are co-ordinated terms of 
nature's progress from blind force to intelligence. 
1st. If secondary causes are to be judged by analogy of 
natural operations, they are nothing more than re-arrangers 
and reproducers, all we know of natural operations being 
re-arrangement of physical, and reproduction of vegetable and 
of animal ; the analogy, therefore, reaches at furthest to the 
reproductive powers of nature — not to the productive. I 
cannot see the crushing argument against a primary force 
producing those secondary causes. They are themselves 
“ phenomena of the universe," producing other phenomena ; 
and by consequence dependent on their cause, as these latter 
are dependent on them. Their place in creation is that of 
re-agents ; they manifest and determine the presence and 
character of the Great First Power. 
2nd. That the phenomena of the universe are co-ordinated 
terms of nature's progress. So that, no matter how the 
universe was made, all its phenomena are only gradually 
unfolded with nature's onward movement “ from the formless 
to the formed." Though there is no direct denial that the 
universe may have been created by Divine Power, there is 
denial of that Power having created any of the attendant 
