268 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
abundance from decayed matter, and in out-of-the-way places, 
gives a semblance of truth to the conception. It was only 
natural that eager advocates for the origin of the first Life from 
inorganic matter should desire the support of science for the 
doctrine of Spontaneous Generation in our own day, since, if that 
be established, the whole question of origin is once for all settled. 
It would be tedious to go into the detail of experiments that have 
in abundance been made to test this question. Of late years the 
most persistent and voluminous writer in England on the subject, 
Dr. Bastian, has endeavoured to show, by experiments he himself 
has made, and others also, that, all care being taken to exclude 
the air and destroy existing germs in the solutions employed, 
distinct instances have occurred of living forms coming into 
existence out of purely dead inorganic matter. 
Considering that in the judgment of the most competent 
scientific men in Christendom this doctrine of Spontaneous 
Generation is utterly discarded, it is not necessary to enter into 
any particulars as to methods by which it has been set aside as 
absurd. But for the sake of those who may not have followed 
the controversy now ended, I may be allowed to point out one or 
two considerations and facts which justify this strong language 
concerning it. 
It certainly looks suspicious that Nature should be so prodigal 
as to break the law of Parcimony in thus having now two con- 
current methods of originating life — Spontaneous Generation and 
Life from Life. The idea of there being anything " spontaneous " 
in an ordered system is incredible to anyone who reflects on what 
law and order mean. Dr. Tyndall, who of all men had no reason 
for objecting to the idea of Life springing from inorganic matter 
if possible, carried on with marvellous skill a long series of 
experiments of the most rigorous character, and came to the 
conclusion reached by others equally eminent in their department, 
that " it is unlikely that the notion of Bacterial Life developed 
from dead dust can ever gain currency among the members of a 
great scientific profession." 7 It may be interesting to be reminded 
of Professor Huxley's reply to Dr. Bastian, when he, Dr. Bastian, 
brought some of his living results from dead matter for his 
personal inspection. " At any time these six months Dr. B — — 
knows perfectly well that I believe that the organisms which he 
7 Fragments of Science, p. 7. 
