ON THE STRUCTURE OF SEEDS. 365 



family, or natural order, of lichenes has been judged mo- Lichens, 

 nocotyledonous, an analogy which the fuci, if Gaertner be 

 correct, render very doubtful. The germination of the Fungi. 

 fungi is at least equally uncertain. 



I mean not however by any means to invalidate the im- Cultivators of 

 portance of the distinction between such plants as have two ( iiv!delheir 

 or more cotyledons, and such as have only one or none, tasks, and assist 

 however inaccurate the terms commonly used to distinguish ^ho'ut rival-- 

 them may be. Much less am I inclined to throw any need- ship, 

 less impediments in the way of those, who labour at the 

 arduous and important study of natural classification, or to 

 detract from the well-earned fame of such men as Gaertner 

 and Jussieu, on account of difficulties and imperfections 

 unavoidable in so abstruse a study. No real friend to truth 

 and knowledge ever foments invidious rivalships in philoso- 

 phy. The field of science is now so vast, that its different 

 cultivators find the advantage of dividing their tasks, and 

 thus the students of physiology, of natural systems, and of 

 artificial ones, may all powerfully assist each other. Truth, 

 is pursued by different paths, and nothing is more pleasing 

 than to see the various observers of Nature, in a Society 

 like ours, mutually and harmoniously contributing, as we 

 have all along done, to enrich the scientific hive. I would 

 therefore conclude by recommending those, who have lei- 

 sure and opportunity for the purpose, to observe for them- , 

 selves the germination of the principal families of plants, 

 not only of such genera as are in dispute, but of all about 

 which there can be any doubt, most of which will easily be 

 indicated by a comparison of Gartner's work with the re- 

 marks in the foregoing pages. 



Norwich, Nov.Z, 1807. 



XI. Observations 



