Teach us to know what nature _does_, not what she _is_; and whatever of
"divine revelation" is vouchsafed us, whether it be found in the majestic
"Poem of the Dawn," attributed to the inspired pen of Moses, in the
"myriad-minded Shakespeare," or the irradiated and deeply-prophetic soul
of a Shelley, let us accept it with thanks, if not to the inspired authors
themselves, at least to "the great Giver of life" who imparted their
inspiration.

We accept the theory of "primordial germs," not simply because it is
contained in the Bible Genesis, nor because it was conceived by the great
and gifted Harvey as a possible solution of the whole difficulty, but
because it presents, as we have before said, a satisfactory explanation of
all the phenomenal facts of life with which we are acquainted. If Mr.
Herbert Spencer will descend from his stilted theory of "molecular
machinery worked by molecular force," and tell us what it all means; and,
at the same time, turn us out a single plastide particle, or fungus spore,
by any generating process referable to "the machinery" in question, we
will as devoutly worship Matter and Motion as ever ancient Egyptian did
the god Osiris. But until he does this, we prefer to accept the positive
assurance of Professor Lionel S. Beale, a far more competent authority to
speak of hypothetical molecules, that none of the "forces possessed by the
molecules of which the primitive nebulosity of the universe was composed"
ever produced a vital manifestation, or succeeded in "making life a slave
to force." We shall consider this question of "molecular force" in its
proper place, and with reference to the different theories of life
advanced by the materialists, without pursuing it further in this
connection.

The evidence we shall present in reference to the alternations of forest