8 Dr Harvey's Observations on the 



no idea whatever of the natural or allotted duration and 

 size of trees. They do not even inform us as to the extreme 

 limits to which their lives may be protracted, or the extreme 

 height and thickness to which they may grow. For it may 

 be confidently asserted, that, in different parts of the world, 

 there are individuals of almost all kinds of trees which have 

 already stood as many years, and grown to as great a size as 

 any of the species have ever been known to do, and many of 

 which are still vigorous and growing, and, what is remark- 

 able, exhibit as yet no signs of what can properly be regarded 

 as old age. Much of their trunk may be hollowed out from 

 decay of the heart- wood, and many of their larger branches 

 may have been destroyed in the lapse of time ; but the great 

 body, or a large part of many of them, remains, and evinces 

 as great activity in the vital processes as ever, e. e., is the 

 seat of as vigorous a circulation of sap, and forms and puts 

 forth leaves and flowers, and fruit, as large and perfect as in 

 its earliest years, and is every year having additional bulk 

 given to it. 



The considerations now stated, and especially the facts re- 

 lative to the Banian, may very naturally suggest a doubt, 

 whether, with respect to their longevity, there is not some 

 peculiarity in trees beyond a merely very prolonged exist- 

 ence ; nay, though (according to the common opinion as to 

 their nature) it seems absurd seriously to entertain the idea, 

 whether there is not in their case, so far as yet appears, an 

 actual exemption from the law of mortality. Some such idea, 

 at least, may not unreasonably be supposed to have been in 

 the mind of Richard, when he remarked of the cedars of Le- 

 banon, that they appear to be indestructible, — a remark which 

 is still more applicable perhaps to the Banian, but which, if 

 it has any meaning, is equivalent to saying, that they appear 

 to live for ever, and obviously involves the assumption that 

 the law of mortality is not universally operative. 



Such is the present unsatisfactory state of our knowledge 

 with respect to the longevity and the size of trees, regard be- 

 ing had to the popular notion as to their nature. In the case 

 of each species of animal, the natural term of life, and the 

 appointed size of organism, are either known to us, or may, 



