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Therefore； in seeking for the origin of protoplasm； we must
eventually turn to the vegetable world。 A fluid containing
carbonic acid； water； and nitrogenous salts； which offers such a
Barmecide feast ＇105＇ to the animal； is a table richly spread to
multitudes of plants； and； with a due supply of only such
materials； many a plant will not only maintain itself in vigour；
but grow and multiply until it has increased a million…fold； or a
million million…fold； the quantity of protoplasm which it
originally possessed； in this way building up the matter of life；
to an indefinite extent； from the common matter of the universe。
Thus； the animal can only raise the complex substance of dead
protoplasm to the higher power； as one may say； of living
protoplasm； while the plant can raise the less complex substances
carbonic acid； water； and nitrogenous saltsto the same stage of
living protoplasm； if not to the same level。 But the plant also
has its limitations。 Some of the fungi； for example； appear to
need higher compounds to start with； and no known plant can live
upon the uncompounded elements of protoplasm。 A plant supplied
with pure carbon； hydrogen； oxygen； and nitrogen； phosphorus；
sulphur； and the like； would as infallibly die as the animal in his
bath of smelling…salts； though it would be surrounded by all the
constituents of protoplasm。 Nor； indeed； need the process of
simplification of vegetable food be carried so far as this； in
order to arrive at the limit of the plant's thaumaturgy。 Let
water； carbonic acid； and all the other needful constituents be
supplied except nitrogenous salts； and an ordinary plant will still
be unable to manufacture protoplasm。
Thus the matter of life； so far as we know it （and we have no right
to speculate on any other）； breaks up； in consequence of that
continual death which is the condition of its manifesting vitality；
into carbonic acid； water； and nitrogenous compounds； which
certainly possess no properties but those of ordinary matter。 And
out of these same forms of ordinary matter； and from none which are
simpler； the vegetable world builds up all the protoplasm which
keeps the animal world a…going。 Plants are the accumulators of the
power which animals distribute and disperse。
But it will be observed； that the existence of the matter of life
depends on the pre…existence of certain compounds； namely； carbonic
acid； water； and certain nitrogenous bodies。 Withdraw any one of
these three from the world； and all vital phaenomena come to an
end。 They are as necessary to the protoplasm of the plant； as the
protoplasm of the plant is to that of the animal。 Carbon；
hydrogen； oxygen； and nitrogen are all lifeless bodies。 Of these；
carbon and oxygen unite in certain proportions and under certain
conditions； to give rise to carbonic acid； hydrogen and oxygen
produce water； nitrogen and other elements give rise to nitrogenous
salts。 These new compounds； like the elementary bodies of which
they are composed； are lifeless。 But when they are brought
together； under certain conditions； they give rise to the still
more complex body； protoplasm； and this protoplasm exhibits the
phaenomena of life。
I see no break in this series of steps in molecular complication；
and I am unable to understand why the language which is applicable
to any one term of the series may not be used to any of the others。
We think fit to call different kinds of matter carbon； oxygen；
hydrogen； and nitrogen； and to speak of the various powers and
activities of these substances as the properties of the matter of
which they are composed。
When hydrogen and oxygen are mixed in a certain proportion； and an
electric spark is passed through them； they disappear； and a
quantity of water； equal in weight to the sum of their weights；
appears in their place。 There is not the slightest parity between
the passive and active powers of the water and those of the oxygen
and hydrogen which have given rise to it。 At 32 degrees
Fahrenheit； and far below that temperature； oxygen and hydrogen are
elastic gaseous bodies； whose particles tend to rush away from one
another with great force。 Water； at the same temperature； is a
strong though brittle solid whose particles tend to cohere into
definite geometrical shapes； and sometimes build up frosty
imitations of the most complex forms of vegetable foliage。
Nevertheless we call these； and many other strange phaenomena； the
properties of the water； and we do not hesitate to believe that； in
some way or another； they result from the properties of the
component elements of the water。 We do not assume that a something
called 〃aquosity〃 entered into and took possession of the oxidated
hydrogen as soon as it was formed； and then guided the aqueous
particles to their places in the facets of the crystal； or amongst
the leaflets of the hoar…frost。 On the contrary； we live in the
hope and in the faith that； by the advance of molecular physics； we
shall by and by be able to see our way as clearly from the
constituents of water to the properties of water； as we are now
able to deduce the operations of a watch from the form of its parts
and the manner in which they are put together。
Is the case in any way changed when carbonic acid； water； and
nitrogenous salts disappear； and in their place； under the
influence of pre…existing living protoplasm； an equivalent weight
of the matter of life makes its appearance？
It is true that there is no sort of parity between the properties
of the components and the properties of the resultant； but neither
was there in the case of the water。 It is also true that what I
have spoken of as the influence of pre…existing living matter is
something quite unintelligible； but does anybody quite comprehend
the modus operandi ＇106＇ of an electric spark； which traverses a
mixture of oxygen and hydrogen？
What justification is there； then； for the assumption of the
existence in the living matter of a something which has no
representative； or correlative； in the not living matter which gave
rise to it？ What better philosophical status has 〃vitality〃 than
〃aquosity〃？ And why should 〃vitality〃 hope for a better fate than
the other 〃itys〃 which have disappeared since Martinus Scriblerus ＇107＇
accounted for the operation of the meat…jack ＇108＇ by its inherent
〃meat…roasting quality；〃 and scorned the 〃materialism〃 of those who
explained the turning of the spit by a certain mechanism worked by
the draught of the chimney。
If scientific language is to possess a definite and constant
signification whenever it is employed； it seems to me that we are
logically bound to apply to the protoplasm； or physical basis of
life； the same conceptions as those which are held to be legitimate
elsewhere。 If the phaenomena exhibited by water are its
properties； so are those presented by protoplasm； living or dead；
its properties。
If the pro