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at length life and the last handbreadth of the peau de chagrin；
disappear with the gratification of a last wish。
Balzac's ＇104＇ studies had led him over a wide range of thought and
speculation； and his shadowing forth of physiological truth in this
strange story may have been intentional。 At any rate； the matter
of life is a veritable peau de chagrin； and for every vital act it
is somewhat the smaller。 All work implies waste； and the work of
life results； directly or indirectly； in the waste of protoplasm。
Every word uttered by a speaker costs him some physical loss； and；
in the strictest sense； he burns that others may have lightso
much eloquence； so much of his body resolved into carbonic acid；
water； and urea。 It is clear that this process of expenditure
cannot go on for ever。 But； happily； the protoplasmic peau de
chagrin differs from Balzac's in its capacity of being repaired；
and brought back to its full size； after every exertion。
For example； this present lecture； whatever its intellectual worth
to you； has a certain physical value to me； which is； conceivably；
expressible by the number of grains of protoplasm and other bodily
substance wasted in maintaining my vital processes during its
delivery。 My peau de chagrin will be distinctly smaller at the end
of the discourse than it was at the beginning。 By and by； I shall
probably have recourse to the substance commonly called mutton； for
the purpose of stretching it back to its original size。 Now this
mutton was once the living protoplasm； more or less modified； of
another animala sheep。 As I shall eat it； it is the same matter
altered； not only by death； but by exposure to sundry artificial
operations in the process of cooking。
But these changes； whatever be their extent； have not rendered it
incompetent to resume its old functions as matter of life。 A
singular inward laboratory； which I possess； will dissolve a
certain portion of the modified protoplasm； the solution so formed
will pass into my veins； and the subtle influences to which it will
then be subjected will convert the dead protoplasm into living
protoplasm； and transubstantiate sheep into man。
Nor is this all。 If digestion were a thing to be trifled with； I
might sup upon lobster； and the matter of life of the crustacean
would undergo the same wonderful metamorphosis into humanity。 And
were I to return to my own place by sea； and undergo shipwreck； the
crustacean might； and probably would； return the compliment； and
demonstrate our common nature by turning my protoplasm into living
lobster。 Or； if nothing better were to be had； I might supply my
wants with mere bread； and I should find the protoplasm of the
wheat…plant to be convertible into man； with no more trouble than
that of the sheep； and with far less； I fancy； than that of the
lobster。
Hence it appears to be a matter of no great moment what animal； or
what plant； I lay under contribution for protoplasm； and the fact
speaks volumes for the general identity of that substance in all
living beings。 I share this catholicity of assimilation with other
animals； all of which； so far as we know； could thrive equally well
on the protoplasm of any of their fellows； or of any plant； but
here the assimilative powers of the animal world cease。 A solution
of smelling…salts in water； with an infinitesimal proportion of
some other saline matters； contains all the elementary bodies which
enter into the composition of protoplasm； but； as I need hardly
say； a hogshead of that fluid would not keep a hungry man from
starving； nor would it save any animal whatever from a like fate。
An animal cannot make protoplasm； but must take it ready…made from
some other animal； or some plantthe animal's highest feat of
constructive chemistry being to convert dead protoplasm into that
living matter of life which is appropriate to itself。
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 abl