S^G Dr. Schleiden on the Development of the 



theless occur here in the consideration of mosses and Hepaticcv, 

 and more particularly in the enigmatical Bhizocarpece, It ap- 

 pears to me, however, that in this last-named family especial- 

 ly, there still remains much lo be observed. 



Lastly, this detailed process explains simply and naturally 

 the formation of buds on leaves, although it so seldom occurs 

 (whether it shows itself as a peculiarity of the plant or is an 

 abnormal phaenomenon), as being merely a partial retro- 

 gradation into a lower (cryptogamic) organization. 



In closing this brief exposition I must subjoin a few re- 

 marks, partly for the purpose of anticipating unjust interpre- 

 tations, and partly to afford a more correct apprehension of 

 this essay. 



In the first place, I am far from meaning to lay claim to all 

 the views which have been developed in these pages as my 

 own discoveries; I desire to give every one his due; and 

 not laying so very great value on mere priority, I consider 

 it much more honourable in founding a new view to extend 

 it over the entire department of the science and render it in- 

 subvertible by patient investigation, than merely to be the 

 discoverer of something new, in which good fortune so often 

 plays the most conspicuous part. The narrow limits afford- 

 ed to a memoir of this nature, and not any want of informa- 

 tion as to what and how much various celebrated men had 

 communicated to the public before me, has been the cause of 

 my entering so slightly into the historical detail of all that has 

 been done in this branch of science. These points, together 

 with the perfect completion of my investigations, I withhold 

 until the appearance of the work above alluded to, from which 

 my only intention was to give here a small portion of the 

 results. 



On the other hand, I must remark, secondly, that every- 

 thing which I have included here is the result of my own inves- 

 tigation, and I have not received the smallest pointy even upon 

 the best authority, without myself proving its correctness. 



Thirdly and lastly, I must state that everything I have 

 put forward is the result of actual observation, and that 

 speculation (immediate consequence in its strict logical sense 

 excepted) has not had the least share in these observations. 

 Whatever of interest occurs that can lay claim to novelty 

 has been known to me for years, but I postponed its publica- 

 tion in order to afford me time to take the utmost advantage 

 of the numerous and valuable resources which were placed at 

 my disposal in Berlin, in order to give my work such an ex- 

 tension that the results may not appear as isolated facts, but 

 assume the shape of laws for the entire vegetable organism. 



