Phenomena of Ontogenesis. 
[October, 
528 
Archebiosis, there is but one legitimate course open — the 
rejection of the theory in toto. The subject being still sub 
judice, we do not insist on the impossibility of spontaneous 
generation. Even were it shown that the spontaneous 
generation of living things did occur at the present day from 
inorganic matter, it would merely lead us to believe that the 
organic developmental agency lies latent until called into 
activity by special conditions, but not that it is identical with 
crystalline force. 
Professor Huxley remarks “ that the property of crystal- 
lising is to crystallisable matter what the vital property is 
to albuminoid matter.” But this analogy is not supported 
by facts. Crystallisable matter can never have crystallised 
in any other forms than those it assumes at present, and it 
must continue to crystallise in one set of forms only for all 
time ; it can never develop into new shapes, but shall 
remain changeless for ever. Protoplasm, on the contrary, 
has, from the first moment it became active, never ceased 
to develop into countless varieties of organic structures, and 
is still developing into ever new and higher forms. While 
the distinguishing attribute of crystallisable matter is 
unchangeableness, that of albuminoid matter is continual 
progress. The action of the molecular forces on inorganic 
matter, under given conditions, can be predicted with the 
precision of abstract mathematics ; but who shall foretell 
the forms of future living beings ? 
It seems highly probable, that in all organic matter there 
exists a controlling principle, directing the action of the 
molecular forces. 
The organic machine is set in motion by heat, but its 
movements are regulated by a rigid law ; it is constructed 
to perform a prescribed series of operations only. The de- 
velopment of the germ may thus be regarded as due to self-acting 
and self -adapting mechanism of inconceivable refinement. We 
find no force at work but molecular force, yet we observe 
phenomena that cannot be referred to the known properties 
of inorganic matter. We are therefore compelled (as the 
only apparent alternative) to believe in the automatic action 
of the forces we recognise ; or in other words, that the de- 
velopment of organisms is due to a necessary sequence of 
operations, which must have for basis or starting point a 
certain definite and regular disposition of cells or molecules 
in the primordial germ ; or, given protoplasm in a certain 
condition, development is effected by the laws of inorganic 
matter. This view of Evolution appears to negative the 
theory of Spontaneous Generation. 
