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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 properties of water may be properly said to result from the
nature and disposition of its component molecules； I can find no
intelligible ground for refusing to say that the properties of
protoplasm result from the nature and disposition of its molecules。
But I bid you beware that； in accepting these conclusions； you are
placing your feet on the first rung of a ladder which； in most
people's estimation； is the reverse of Jacob's； and leads to the
antipodes of heaven。 It may seem a small thing to admit that the
dull vital actions of a fungus； or a foraminifer； are the
properties of their protoplasm； and are the direct results of the
nature of the matter of which they are composed。 But if； as I have
endeavoured to prove to you； their protoplasm is essentially
identical with； and most readily converted into； that of any
animal； I can discover no logical halting…place between the
admission that such is the case； and the further concession that
all vital action may； with equal propriety； be said to be the
result of the molecular forces of the protoplasm which displays it。
And if so； it must be true； in the same sense and to the same
extent； that the thoughts to which I am now giving utterance； and
your thoughts regarding them； are the expression of molecular
changes in that matter of life which is the source of our other
vital phaenomena。＇109＇
ON CORAL AND CORAL REEFS ＇110＇
The marine productions which are commonly known by the names of
〃Corals〃 and 〃Corallines；〃 were thought by the ancients to be sea…
weeds； which had the singular property of becoming hard and solid；
when they were fished up from their native depths and came into
contact with the air。
〃Sic et curalium； quo primum contigit auras
Tempore durescit： mollis fuit herba sub undis；〃＇111＇
says Ovid （Metam。 xv）； and it was not until the seventeenth century
that Boccone ＇112＇ was emboldened； by personal experience of the facts；
to declare that the holders of this belief were no better than
〃idiots；〃 who had been misled by the softness of the outer coat of
the living red coral to imagine that it was soft all through。
Messer Boccone's strong epithet is probably undeserved； as the
notion he controverts； in all likelihood； arose merely from the
misinterpretation of the strictly true statement which any coral
fisherman would make to a curious inquirer； namely； that the
outside coat of the red coral is quite soft when it is taken out of
the sea。 At any rate； he did good service by eliminating this much
error from the current notions about coral。 But the belief that
corals are plants remained； not only in the popular； but in the
scientific mind； and it received what appeared to be a striking
confirmation from the researches of Marsigli ＇113＇ in 1706。 For this
naturalist； having the opportunity of observing freshly…taken red
coral； saw that its branches were beset with what looked like
delicate and beautiful flowers each having eight petals。 It was
true that these 〃flowers〃 could protrude and retract themselves；
but their motions were hardly more extensive； or more varied； than
those of the leaves of the sensitive plant； and therefore they
could not be held to militate against the conclusion so strongly
suggested by their form and their grouping upon the branches of a
tree…like structure。
Twenty years later； a pupil of Marsigli； the young Marseilles
physician； Peyssonel； conceived the desire to study these singular
sea…plants； and was sent by the French Government on a mission to
the Mediterranean for that purpose。 The pupil undertook the
investigation full of confidence in the ideas of his master； but
being able to see and think for himself； he soon discovered that
those ideas by no means altogether corresponded with reality。 In
an essay entitled 〃Traite du Corail；〃 which was communicated to
the French Academy of Science； but which has never been published；
Peyssonel writes：
〃Je fis fleurir le corail dans des vases pleins d'eau de mer； et
j'observai que ce que nous croyons etre la fleur de cette pretendue
plante n'etait au vrai； qu'un insecte semblable a une petite Ortie
ou Poulpe。 J'avais le plaisir de voir remuer les pattes； ou pieds；
de cette Ortie； et ayant mis le vase plein d'eau ou le corail etait
a une douce chaleur aupres du feu； tous les petits insectes
s'epanouirent。L'Ortie sortie etend les pieds； et forme ce que M。
de Marsigli et moi avions pris pour les petales de la fleur。 Le
calice de cette pretendue fleur est le corps meme de l'animal
avance et sorti hors de la cellule。〃*＇114＇
* This extract from Peyssonel's manuscript is given by M。 Lacaze
Duthiers in his valuable Histoire Naturelle du Corail （1866）。
The comparison of the flowers of the coral to a 〃petite ortie；〃 or
〃little nettle；〃 is perfectly just； but needs explanation。 〃Ortie
de mer；〃 or 〃sea…nettle；〃 is； in fact； the French appellation for
our 〃sea…anemone；〃 a creature with which everybody； since the great
aquarium mania； must have become familiar； even to the limits of
boredom。 In 1710； the great naturalist； Reaumur；＇115＇ had written a
memoir for the express purpose of demonstrating that these 〃orties〃
are animals； and with this important paper Peyssonel must
necessarily have been familiar。 Therefore； when he declared the
〃flowers〃 of the red coral to be little 〃orties；〃 it was the same
thing as saying that they were animals of the same general nature
as sea…anemones。 But to Peyssonel's contemporaries this was an
extremely startling announcement。 It was hard to imagine the
existence of such a thing as an association of animals into a
structure with stem and branches altogether like a plant； and fixed
to the soil as a plant is fixed； and the naturalists of that day
preferred not to imagine it。 Even Reaumur could not bring himself
to accept the notion； and France being blessed with Academicians；
whose great function （as the late Bishop Wilson ＇116＇ and an eminent
modern writer ＇117＇ have so well shown） is to cause sweetness and
light to prevail； and to prevent such unmannerly fellows as Peyssonel
from blurting out unedifying truths； they suppressed him； and； as
aforesaid； his great work remained in manuscript； and may at this
day be consulted by the curious in that state； in the Bibliotheque
du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle。 Peyssonel； who evidently was a
person of savage and untameable disposition； so far from
appreciating the kindness of the Academicians in giving him time to
reflect upon the unreasonableness； not to say rudeness； of making
public statements in opposition to the views of some of the most
distinguished of their body； seems bitterly to have resented the
treatment he met with。 For he sent all further communications to
the Royal Society of London； which never had； and it is to be hoped
never will have； anything of an academic constitut