274 GENERAL VIEWS, 



uals of one species would establish themselves under 

 the same or nearly the same degrees of latitude, as they 

 would find a nearly similar climate. But in reality, 

 some species extend themselves in the direction of the 

 longitude, and never swerve to the right or to the left. 

 This is one of those anomalies of which it is not easy 

 to trace the cause. 



It may be observed, with the exception of the 

 Lichens, which bid defiance to all climates alike, that a 

 rastly greater proportion of species is calculated to en- 

 dure a very high degree of warmth, than is calculated 

 to bear, severe cold. The progressive course of the 

 proportion demonstrates itself most clearly, if we di- 

 rect our view from the polar, towards the equinoctial 

 regions. 



The general face of the vegetation of a country does 

 not depend solely upon the number, it depends also 

 upon the more or less remarkable characters of the 

 species found there. The chief part of these charac- 

 ters, are fixed ; and are derived from primitive crea- 

 tion, not from the effect of climate. As to the proposi- 

 tion, that certain vegetable forms are necessarily co- 

 existent and dependent upon certain other animal forms 

 in a given climate, we do not presume to controvert it ; 

 but sound reasoning rejects its adoption, as a doctrine, 

 while the connexion and reciprocal control of the phe- 

 nomena of nature are unknown to us. Cautious and 

 exact observers of those things which are the objects of 

 our senses, let us leave to the fancy of the poet the 

 bold task of unfolding the purposes of the Creator in 

 his works ; while we confine ourselves to the less pre- 

 sumptuous one of describing them as we find them. 



Vegetation within the tropics fills the European 

 traveller with amazement, by the majesty and vigour of 



