Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-04-02
Ertturf,-
DELIVERED BEFORE THE
SUNBURY LYCEUM.
By Dr.. d w. SHINDEL.

and Gentlemen Of The Lyceum
The topic have selected for our consider
alton This evening is Life. Then what is
Life? begin my answer BY asking the
question, Wha, is not Life ? 10 which reply
j, is inorganic matter. Inorganic matter then
is not life. We design TO notice briefly the
differences between Inorganic, and organized
substances and thus, in answering The mega
tive, we partly reply 10 the main question,
What is life They differ in Origin, Size;
Shape, Chemical character, Texture, Termi-
nation, Mode of preservation and Motive
forces. Inorganic substances are not born
They ale not the result of Parents, but spring
from the general forces of natter their par
ticles are merely in state Of aggregation,
and their motion regulated by certain fixed,
and invariable laws.
Organized Bodies, OH the contrary are the
products of generation; they must come
from parents similar 10 themselves. And
, they possess, the 'principle Of Life" which
5 controls the ordinary forces of matter.
4 The size of inorganic bodies is by no
means fixed they may be great or snail,
! according 10 the number of PARTICLES which
!, are TO compose it.
crystal, may be minute, or the contrary
!, according 10 the nu nber OF saline particles
" in the solution-O ganized bodies, on The
contrary, either by slow or rapid develop
: ment, attain certain size, by which the,
may be known; and although we meet will
OF the Dtrarf, or Giant exceptions, these ar
Il unfrequeut and merely prove the Rule.
In chemical character, a great ditferenc
- exists between the the two classes In inoT
ganic bodies, the composition is more simple
Many Of them have but one element, an
when composed of more, the combination
IN rarely higher than ternary. The Organize
body on The oIher hpnd is never simple, br
''' always al least ,ernary, or quarternary. Th
be simplest vegetable, consists of union {
,k- Orygen Carbon, and Hydrogen the simple
re- animal, OF Oxygen Carbon, Hydrogen al
AzJie. The composition Of the mineral
constant lis elements have satisfied the
alfiniles, and all is at rest. In organizi
. bodies, the affiuiies are not saiisfied:-the
:. is a constant composition, and decomposilio
from the first dawn Of Foeial formation, u
as Ill the cessation life. All is in mmo,io
ned and The body is constantly undergoing va
en- ous notifications.
The different parts Of an inorganic ho
hive an exisiance independent of each o,h'
= We take piece of marble, which is comp
J. sei of earbonic acid and lime, and break
into thousand pieces, each fragment co
iains carbonic acid, and lime, the mass
q marble is broken down, but The pieces do !
suffer by The disjunction-lhey remain fix
and unmodiied. Not so in organized bodi
Z of one par, is dependent on the other. If
tear the branch from tree, the trunk fe
,dis, more or less, the injury; aud the bran
nee' which is detached, very soon shows rema
able changes-in the succulent vegetable
SER undergoes speedy decomposition, certain
of It's constituents, being no longer held
control by the vital agency, are given up
&c. The form of gases, and the rest crumbei
earth.
Changes no less important, and impress
take place in the animal, when a liml
separated from 1.-THE Parent trunk suffer
the system recoils at first on the in1Ic,o
AAy' the injury; but subsequently, arouses iisel
'har' sn reparatory effort, and sometimes with S
lffect energy, as 10 destroy its own vitality. =
pro- limb, like The branch, is given up 10 new
inites and putrefacion, soon reduces i
- such state, in which that admirable
these beautiful organization is no longer to be s.
are The preservation Of the animal is depen'
n upon the same actions, that effected its
nation. rsHas
- The animal, and vegetable, are mainta
80 by a mechanism peculiar to themselv
Y. they lay hold of substances around .hem,
by process Of elaboration, assimilats I