far as it is believed to be so, it would speak and does speak volumes in favor of the spirit of science pervading our age.  For although the vast majority of biologists in Europe and America accept the doctrine of evolution, they are almost unanimous in their refusal to accept as in any sense competent the reputed evidence of “spontaneous generation;” which demonstrates, at least, that what is sought by our leaders in science is not the mere support of hypotheses, cherished though they may be, but the truth, the uncolored truth, from nature.  But it must be remembered that the present existence of what has been called “spontaneous generation,” the origin of life de novo to-day, by physical law, is by no means required by the doctrine of evolution.  Prof.  Huxley, for example, says:  “If all living beings have been evolved from pre-existing forms of life, it is enough that a single particle of protoplasm should once have appeared upon the globe, as the result of no matter what agency; any further independent formation of protoplasm would be sheer waste.”  And why? we may ask.  Because one of the most marvelous and unique properties of protoplasm, and the living forms built out of it, is the power to multiply indefinitely and for ever!  What need, then, of spontaneous generation?  It is certainly true that evidence has been adduced purporting to support, if not establish, the origin in dead matter of the least and lowest forms of life.  But it evinces no prejudice to say that it is inefficient.  For a moment study the facts.  The organisms which were used to test the point at issue were those known as septic.  The vast majority of these are inexpressibly minute.  The smallest of them, indeed, is so small that, as I have said, fifty millions of them, if laid in order, would only fill the one-hundredth part of a cubic inch.  Many are relatively larger, but all are supremely minute.  Now, these organisms are universally present in enormous numbers, and ever rapidly increasing in all moist putrefactions over the surface of the globe.

Take an illustration prepared for the purpose, and taken direct from nature.  A vessel of pure drinking water was taken during the month of July at a temperature of 65 deg.  F., and into it was dropped a few shreds of fish muscle and brain.  It was left uncovered for twelve hours; at the end of that time a small blunt rod was inserted in the now somewhat opalescent water, and a minute drop taken out and properly placed on the microscope, and, with a lens just competent to reveal the minutest objects, examined.  The field of view presented is seen in Fig. 1, A. But—­with the exception of the dense masses which are known as zoogloea or bacteria, fused together in living glue—­the whole field was teeming with action; each minute organism gyrating in its own path, and darting at every visible point.  The same fluid was now left for sixteen hours, and once more a minute drop was taken and examined with the same lens as before.