WCP5447

[1]

Dear M^r Wallace

I have been reading the Chapters of your last book on the Physical conditions necessary to the existence of Organic life, and think you have made a very powerful claim in <all sufficient> reason conclusion that our earth presents ^a very unique character. I do not mean to say that the [illeg.] Chapters are not equally strong in evidence of this, but the arguments of the Physical conditions &c are more within my mental capacity.

I have long though how wonderful and paradoxical it seemed that Oxygen Hydrogen nitrogen & carbon should when alone be so prejudicial to organic life and many of their combinations in nature much more so: and yet the Oxide of Hydrogen (water) which is so abundant is, as you point out [,] essentially necessary and to the thirsty soul more to be desired and is [2] longed for more than wine & milk and yet to take Oxygen or Hydrogen alone would be fatal. I have observed with the awe of mystery in burning Hydrogen & Oxygen over a lime[?] cillinder [sic] the brightest spot on the [illeg.] is where the Hydrogen is condensed[?] by the Oxygen and where water is formed as [illeg.] as the light & light produced by the formation of water.

The action of Oxygen & Nitrogen taken separately is of the same character and yet mixed as the [4 words illeg.] How delightful How enjoyable How necessary — and what wholesome food are the nitrogenous[?] compounds [illeg.] Oh what clearly[?] [illeg.] are [illeg.] of the Nitrous combinations and so in all the elements they present us with ^the option if we are [3] wise enough to avail ourselves of the momentous choices[?] — on the one hand life & health, on the other decay & death. Consequently for myself I have from this standpoint come to the conclusion that there are no poisons in the world that [illeg.] & Sin taking St. Paul's definition of Sin as "The transgression of law or the want of any conformity thereto."