A PRACTICAL MAN ON PROTOPLASM.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4793, 20 May 1884, Page 2

A PRACTICAL MAN ON PROTOPLASM.

Professor Huxley made but a short stay in. $ew York, but liis arrival was the cause of conversation between one of the city's amateur scientists and a matter of fact friend. The amateur was an enthusiastic admirer of Huxley, and he spoke so extravagantly about him that his friend finally became curious, and asked, " Who in thunder js Huxley, anyway P " " You don't me: n to say you hare not head about Frofe sor Huxley, the great scientist?" " f c's, I do, though; never heard his name before. What has he done P" " Why, man, Huxley made the important discovery about protoplasm." *Ü bout what?" "Protoplasm." "And ;wliat the dickens is proGoplasm?" HNoir, look'here, you don't mean to sit there and tell me you don't know what protoplasm is?" " That's jast it. Nary protoplasm P" "Well, piolopalsm is what we may oall *ac life principle." "Anything to do. *ith insurance?" " Oh! nonsense I. The '' life principle is nature:- the starting point' of Vital action, so to speak." "He dis* l coveica tyai, did he ?" " Yes, a few years, - ago ia England." " And what good is it going (o do ?" " Good! a great deal of good. ( It. crpccds the circle of human and is valuable in bearing. out the theory of evolution. It is a noble coclriliuliea to science, and it' has made Huxloy one of the few immortal names that were not born to die." "So Huniey knows all about the life principle dees he? "Yes —all about it." " And the starling peint of vital, action?" ','Exactly." "Well, see here now; can you take some of that protoplasm, and go and make a man, or a fcorse, or an elephent with it ?" « Oh, no, he couldn't." " Can he take it and make anything at all of it—even a gnat or • fly?" "I guess not." " Well, then, he may just go to thunder with his pro* loplasm; I don't believe its worth ten cents a pound anyhow. 'Pears to me these scientific fellows put on a big lot of SP-tt 0?* rnJ little- Protoplasm, eh! onouldn t wonder Huxley came over here to get a company to work it. Did yo» say tho mine is in England?" It is almost needlecg to say that the scientist gave up his friend in despair.