92 



ein Staubgea3 im Zustande cler Ausdehnung; ein Kelchblatt sei ein zusam- 

 mengezogenes, einem gewissen Grad der Yerfeinerung sich n'iherendes Stengelblatt, 

 tils vfix von einem Stengelblatt sagen konnen : es sei ein, durch Zudringen roherer 

 Siifte, ansgedebntes Kelcb.bl.ntt. 



He says that stamens may as well be contracted laaves, as tli3 latter may 

 be expanded stamens, which means that stamens and leaves are interchangeable. 

 To amplify this idea, we may say that though tli3 vegetable organs are very 

 different, they are, in the end, in perfect unity, and ara interchangeable one 

 for another. 



As we have seen in tha several preceding quotation?, GOETHE does not 

 recognize an}* definite order in the formation or transformation of organs. His 

 correct idea is, therefore, (though his opinions underwent some modification) 

 to be explained by tli3 theory of ths mutual, participation and sharing of 

 the genes, but not by the evolution theory (or the theory of phylogeny) winch 

 insists on a definite order in the formation of organs and spscies. 



So far my interpretation of GOETHE. In the following pages, I shall quote 

 the opinions of COHN and BIELSCHOWSKY. COHN'S interpretation is as follows" : 



In Wahrheit aber ist der Bauplan der Pflanze tinenllick einfaeh ; die Pflanze 

 entwickelt immer ein nnl dafielbe Organ, das an einem Stengelknoten sitzende Blatt, 

 welches sie tausendfiltig wiederholt, der Idee tini Anlage nach immer das Gleiche, 

 der Erscbeinung iind Entwickelung nach aber in mannigfaltiger Weise, bald gleich oder 

 ahnlich, bald ungleich oder nn'ihnlich ausgestaltet. Das Blatt gleicht dern Homeri- 

 scben Meergeist Protens, der sich in tausendfacbe Gestalttn verwandelt vtnd dadiircb 

 auch dem seharfsten vergleichenlen Sinn entschliipft. 



* 



According to COHN, it ssems that GOETHE'S Blaft is a foliage leaf. My 

 opinion is that GOETHE'S Blatt is a foliage leaf only in some particular cases, 

 but in general it is a real entity to be conditioned in any way and to be 

 transformed into any form according to the causal nexus. 



BIELSCHOWSKY'S interpretation may be resumed as follows** : Carpels, 

 sepals, petals, stamens and the like, or generally spsaking, subordinate 

 organs of the stem can be reduced to a fundamental organ. GOETHE'S 

 Blftt means the simplest fundamental organ which GOETHE called BlcM 

 owing to the want of a word denoting a simpler organ than a leaf. In my 



COHN, F. Die Pflanze (1896) p. 112. 



BIELSHOWSKY, A.- Goethe, sein Leben unl seine Werke, II. p. 423 (1911;. 



