What is life? or, Where are we? what are we? whence do we come? and whither do we go?

Front matter

OR

\a

IS LIFE?

Preface

Every deep thinker and observer of the Natural Laws is convinced that Nature is an orderly arrangement of matter and forces ; that, in a word, Nature is not chaos, but cosmos. Nature may be compared to a huge picture puzzle, the little parts fitting together to make one harmonious and perfect whole. Science has been, and is now, slowly gathering together the little pieces. A time must come when these pieces can be put together by man, to form the perfect picture.

Hitherto, man has not been able to effect this object ; hence arises that condition of human thought which we call the “ unknowable.” Hindoo sages express that which exists at and beyond the 61 unknowable ” as u Behind the Veil.” The object of this work is to lift that Veil, and view the marvellous vista beyond.

It may be we shall in part fail, but the failure will, probably, be a step by which others may be able to arrive at the end we aim at. In any case, the reader has in this volume the result of original experiments,

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PllEFACE earnest thought, of extensive reading, and of help from contemporary workers and thinkers. It is practically the work of a life time.

There can be no doubt that the key by which the orderly phenomena of Nature can be unfolded lies in the hands of the physicist ; hence the whole of the work is built up from physical phenomena.

The work is based on the author’s previous book, “ What is Heat?” Indeed, it is the sequel to that work;

The style adopted is that of an advocate pleading for truth, in the simplest of language. The case is first stated, and the evidence is afterwards brought in. The reader must always bear in mind that the author is only a special pleader, and may fail in obtaining a full verdict of “ Proven.” A negative verdict can only be obtained by the existence of strong negative evidence.

The conception of eternal molecular regeneration is ■ the key to the solution of the problem- of the penetration of the “unknowable”; it is the rope which lifts the Veil. When one grasps the stupendous stretch of time required to explain the simplest geological phenomena, one is impressed with a sense of security that the infinite terrestrial future will be as certain as (to our minds) the infinite past.

The struggle which the human being has passed through in the process of attaining to his present condition, which is a process of brain -perfecting,

PREFACE

IX brought about by necessity, experience, suffering, is horrible. When the Veil is lifted it looks like a hideous dream. Probably no book exposes this struggle so clearly as that interesting and well- written work by Win wood Reade, “ The Martyrdom of Man.” The student should also study the various works by S. Laing, especially “ Modern Science and Modern Thought” and “Human Origins.” He will then obtain definite ideas of the origins of our various religions, and a knowledge that man has existed on this world for a time which is, to the human mind, that of infinity.

For the selfish and cruel errors of the past, whereby the present views of the Universe were repudiated ; how the pioneers of science, as also the weak-minded, were persecuted, tortured, and killed ; how hundreds of thousands — a great unknown number — of human creatures have suffered for thinking for themselves ; 1 how myths, more silly than children’s fairy tales, have been imposed upon the community as fundamental truths — for these facts, the student should read Andrew Dickson White’s “ History of the Warfare of Science with Religion in Christendom” (1896).

For a little known, but very important, jDhase of the

1 “ In Germany alone, it is estimated that in the great age of witch-burning . . . more than 100,000 persons perished by an excruciating death in the course of a single century. . . . From first to last, hundreds of thousands of victims perished in horrible tortures for the crime of thinking for themselves.” — (“ Problems of the Future,” S. Laing, 1894, pp. 288, 290.)

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PREFACE great problem we are studying, how the producing classes are being enslaved by the financial classes by the manipulation of the currency, the student should read “ The Law of Civilization and Decay,” by Brooks Adams (1895) ; and for the coming views he should read u Social Evolution,” by Benjamin Kidd.

For a most exhaustive and temporately expressed resume of the pregnant questions raised by scientific investigation, see “ The Creed of Science,” by William Graham. To nearly every question raised, this book gives a reply,

A theory of our life is absolutely necessary. Religions are generally attempts to frame such a theory. Science has shown that such theories have hitherto not been true.

This work comes before the world in the year of the Jubilee of the reign of our esteemed Queen. It has been thought desirable to celebrate the event by some great act of benevolence — a national contribution for the further support of institutions for

the mitigation of human suffering. This is altruism. © ©

The practical purport of this book is the suppression and prevention of the existence of human suffering, so that such institutions may not be required to the present extent. This also is altruism. Which is the higher altruism time will show. This book, then, is the author’s contribution to the altruism which is to commemorate the Jubilee of our beloved Queen Victoria.

PREFACE

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It is questionable if any mind can keep up with the latest phases of departmental scientific research, so to prevent any misconception as to the trustworthiness of scientific facts here adduced, the author has had the more important parts of his work, i.e. the physical, the biological, and ihe geological, revised by specialists of high authority. The facts in the text, therefore, may throughout be regarded as authoritative as well as up to date. The co-ordination of the facts and the deductions from the facts are the author’s. The numerous quotations are made with the object of showing how advanced thought is progressing, by leaps and bounds, in the same order of thought as that adopted by the author.

The author’s best thanks are due to the eminent specialists and other professional men who have revised the work and brought the facts up to date. The labour in most cases has been most generously given.

Contents

PAGE

Preface ......... vii

PART II. The Evidence proving the Statement of the Case . 5

5. On Atoms and Molecules . . . . . .21

6. On Cellular and non-Cellular Matter .... 27

7. On Chemical (so-called) reaction ..... 31

8. On Regeneration — all Nature is alive .... 34

9. On the prime factor — Ether ...... 37

10. On the Number of species of Atoms ..... 68

11. On the Order of the selective properties of Atoms, under

the influence of Ether . . . . . .74

12. On the Manner that Atoms form Cells . . , .78

13. On the Way that Atoms form Organisms .... 84

14. On the Eternity of Life ....... 137

15. Summary of the previous Statements and Proofs On the Factors in Human Life — The Issue

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CONTENTS

PART III. Deductions derived from the Issue

1. The History of Life as evolved by the reading of the Great

Stone Bible ........

2. Further details of the reading of the Great Stone Bible

5. On Social Evolution .......

PAGE

PAET I

THE STATEMENT OF THE CASE.