366 
In the Sixth Series of the Science Lectures for the People (No. I. p. 12), 
Professor Tyndall indicates what he calls “ the positions of the opposing 
hosts ” in the following terms : — 
“ From the processes of Crystallization you pass by almost imperceptible 
gradations to the lowest vegetable organisms, and from these, through 
higher ones, up to the highest. . . . One class of thinkers regard the 
observed advance from the Crystalline through the Vegetable and Animal 
worlds as an unbroken process of natural growth, thus grasping the world 
inorganic and organic as one vast and indissolubly connected whole ; the 
other class suppose that the passage from the inorganic to the organic 
required a distinct creative act,” &c. 
It will be noticed in this representation of the position of the “ two 
opposing hosts,” that the former is said to be one of “ regarding an observed 
advance and the other a “ supposing a creative act.” The very reverse is 
the true state of the case. The Christian philosopher and man of science 
“ observe ” that in no known instance is there “ an advance ” from pure 
“Crystalline” to the “Vegetable,” nor an advance of the Vegetable into 
the Animal ; but only that they stand in order, each above the other, and not 
each procreating the other. No instance of such “ advance,” in this active 
sense has been observed. The followers of Professor Tyndall “ suppose ” 
that there is, or may be. Theirs is the pure “ supposition.” Ours is the 
simple “observation” of the facts. Theirs is the imagining of a “ vast and 
indissolubly connected whole,” and to say the least it is premature. Ours, 
as yet, is the ground of “ science.” 
But surely the animus of such a sentence as this, calling his own “sup- 
position” by the name of “observation,” and our “observation” by the 
name of “ supposition,” is very discreditable on the part of a writer who 
was professing truthfully to state the case and position of two opposing 
sides. Truthfulness is the primary virtue of philosophy; and so-called 
science cannot do well without it. 
Professor Tyndall begins, in the passage above quoted, with Crystal- 
lization. But even here his “Push” and “Pull” will not suffice. To 
complete our view at all, however, let us look a little farther back. 
At present, the ultimate particles of matter are called “ atoms.” These 
differ in their capacity of combination : — one atom of chlorine combines 
with one of hydrogen ; one atom of oxygen with two of hydrogen ; one 
atom of nitrogen with three of hydrogen ; one atom of carbon with 
four of hydrogen. Whether the term “ capacity ” is the best term to 
express the facts, depends on its being taken passively, and in connection 
with that affinity of atoms which assists their chemical combination. 
Whether this capacity, or this affinity, are to be considered aboriginal in 
the atom, or subsequent conditions, would need to be determined : the 
molecule being a kind of aggregate of atoms. The atoms forming each 
molecule in a gaseous state are of the same nature. When atoms pass 
from the gaseous to the fluid state, or from fluid to solid, they arrange 
