Copy of draft letter, from Sir John Herschel to Hugh Martin, dated at Collingwood Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Grateful for Hugh Martin's sending J. H. Stirling's essay 'As Regards Protoplasm' (1869) to JH. T. H. Huxley overlooked allotropes of organic chemicals as possible origin of life. In this 'Biocratical state,' allotropes would not be alive, but would be 'designedly...fitted' to act as agents of vital processes under a causative power. Pencil annotation at the top, "to the Reverend Dr Hugh Martin, from a 1st copy by the Reverend [Charles Calder] Stewart, 2nd copy Scone [place of residence of Stewart] Apr. 7th 1874". 3 January 1870