T^TCrmcTMTV xoSfcfc--* - *-van« afv"ianoT,^. - —o- — 
essential'to oiir idea of life, it may be asked, what is the condition of a 
seed, which may remain unaltered during a period of many centuries; 
vegetatitig at last, when placed in favorable circumstances, as if it had 
only ripened the year before. Such a seed is not alive ; for it is not per¬ 
forming any vital operations. But it is not dead, for it has undergone no 
decay; and it is still capable of being aroused into active life, when the 
proper stimuli are applied.; And the most correct designation of its state, 
seems to be that of dormant vitality'' This was the straw which broke 
the camel’s back: and I here thank Dr. Carpenter, not only for this, 
but for many really positive benefits. Here we had the seed neither dead 
nor alive, but its “vitality” was •“ dormant,” needing only “ stimuli ” to 
“ arouse” it! Convinced as I was of the absolute truth of the principles 
which had been taught me in mechanics and in natural philosophy, I 
confess that all this seemed to me even worse than jargon, appearing as 
it did in our text book on Physiology.* 
My reflections here, thus excited, were after this manner: What are 
these stimuli ? What is the difference in the conditions of a grain of corn 
in the granary from the conditions when it is germinating? The seed 
that is germinating is under the influence of moisture , in addition tobhe 
heat and air o^rating upon the dry seed in the granary. But heat, air, 
*See also even the last English edition (iSSf) of his 
page 2. 
NJ 
CA> 
(V 
