Biographical Memoir of Michel Adanso7i. 7 



much neglected an essential matter, — -the study of those multi- 

 plied relations of beings whence arises their division into families, 

 founded upon their peculiar nature ; and this was precisely what 

 had formed the principal subject of M. Adanson's meditations 

 in his solitude. 



He was the first who developed with energy their infinite im- 

 portance, as well as made extensive application of them. The 

 boldness of his march, and the precision ot his results, astonish- 

 ed naturalists to such a degree that they thought for a moment 

 they saw in him a worthy rival of these two great masters ; and 

 perhaps there was only wanting, in order to his reputation ap- 

 proaching theirs, an equally happy employment of accessory 

 means, of which they knew so well to avail themselves. Let us at- 

 tempt to trace a brief sketch, both of this subject in itself, and 

 of the peculiar manner in which M. Adanson considered it. 



An organized being is a unique whole, an assemblage of parts 

 which react upon one another to produce a common effect. 

 None of its parts can therefore be essentially modified, without 

 the others being at the same time sensible of the change. 

 There is, therefore, only a certain number of possible combina- 

 tions among the great modifications of the principal organs ; and 

 under each of the higher combinations there is also only a cer- 

 tain number of subordinate combinations of less important mo- 

 difications, that can take place. 



Consequently, if we had an exact knowledge of all these 

 combinations of different orders, and if each were arranged in 

 the place determined by the organs which constitute it, we 

 would also have a true representation of the whole system of or- 

 ganized beings ; all their relations and properties might then be 

 reduced to general propositions ; the ultimate and peculiar na- 

 ture of each could be clearly demonstrated ; in a word, natural 

 history would be an exact science. 



This is what is meant by the natural method ; it is the prin- 

 cipal key of the mysteries of organization, the only thread that 

 can guide us with certainty in this inextricable labyrinth of 

 forms of hfe, and it is only by this method that the naturdist 

 will one day be able to attain a height from which all nature 

 will appear to him, in its aggregate and in its details, as one 

 vast picture. But hitherto we have only been able to catch a 



