S8S AnalogT/ betxveen Vegetables and Animals 



carry on our analysis of the living solid until we have arrived 

 at these spherical and spicular bodies. Such is the wonder^ 

 ful and striking resemblance of the vegetable and animal world, 

 in the origin and form of their primitive molecules, in the 

 composition of tlieir elementary tissues, and in the formation 

 of tlieir diiferent organs. 



Although I have stated that both the spheres and the 

 spicula are the primitive forms of every organic mass, yet 

 perhaps, strictly speaking, the former are to be considered as 

 the legitimate primitive corpuscules ; because when an organ- 

 ising fluid, either vegetable or animal, is assuming the solid 

 state, they are Jirst evolved, and the spicula afterwards ; and 

 because they are found to constitute the structure of the lowest 

 tribes both of plants and animals, while the spicula are only 

 to be detected in the higher orders of organised beings. For 

 example, in the simplest kind of vegetables, as the Coniomy- 

 cetes, and also in the lowest species of infusory animalcula, we 

 detect the vesicular structure existing alone ; but, when we 

 ascend to a superior order of organic bodies, we discover in. 

 their composition that the spheres are never solitary, but 

 always associated with spicula. It cannot, then, but excite 

 our astonishment, as well as our admiration, when we observe 

 that there exists so great a similarity in the ultimate structure 

 of all bodies that are endued with the vital principle ; and 

 that we find the same characters of life in the polypus, and 

 in the lowest species of vegetables, as we find in man, and the 

 higher classes of animal beings. 



I have already remarked, that the elementary solids of 

 plants are membrane and fibre. The former, however, exists 

 in the greatest quantity, and is the most extensively diffused. 

 It is found in the roots, the stem, the branches, and the 

 leaves ; in short, it exists in every vegetable organ. It forms 

 the whole of the cellular and the greatest part of the vas- 

 cular tissues ; and these, the common organic structures, as 

 they have been termed, by their varied combinations, give 

 formation to the bark, the wood, the pith, the medullary 

 rays, and other parts : so that membrane, under some mo- 

 dification or other, seems to constitute entirely, or to enter 

 largely as a component into every variety of vegetable 

 texture. When very much condensed, we observe it form- 

 ing the epidermis ; under a less degree of condensation it 

 composes the coats of the sap vessels ; and in its simplest 

 state it forms the sides of the cells of the cellular tissue. It 

 is extremely thin, and of perfect transparency, and, according 

 to Du Hamel, it consists of small organic parallel fibres. It is 

 cohesive, extensible, flexible, and elastic ; but it is perfectly 



