BOOK IV.

THE LIFE OF MATTER.

I. UNIVERSAL LIFE (OPINIONS OF THE PHILOSOPHERS AND POETS). CONTINUITY BETWEEN BRUTE BODIES AND LIVING BODIES. ORIGIN OF THE PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUITY 239

II. ORIGIN OF LIVING MATTER IN BRUTE MATTER 249

III. ORGANIZATION AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF LIVING MATTER AND BRUTE MATTER 255

IV. EVOLUTION AND MUTABILITY OF LIVING MATTER AND BRUTE MATTER 259

V. THE COMPOSITION OF THE SPECIFIC FORM. LIVING BODIES AND CRYSTALS. CICATRIZATION 281

VI. NUTRITION IN THE LIVING BEING AND IN THE CRYSTAL 290

VII. GENERATION IN BRUTE BODIES AND LIVING BODIES. SPONTANEOUS GENERATION 294