214 ORIGIN OF MOULD.» V. 
M. Bonnet, in his judicious reflections om 
mould, queftions whether we are fure that it alk 
belongs to the vegetable kingdom, or whether — 
there may not be fome fpecies that approach the 
mineral, or, at leaft, are the link of connection be- 
tween the two kingdoms, vegetable and mineral. 
This is not impoflible, when we confider the . 
amazing diverfity in this clafs of beings, and 
how little its fpecies are hitherto known, efpe- 
cially if we confider that foflils approach them 
by occupying the loweft rank in the order of ve~ 
getables. 
Befides the mould defcribed, 1 have not ne- 
elected to throw a glance on many different {pe- 
cies, and in all 1 muft acknowledge, that charac- 
teriftics, fufficiently decifive, have been found to: 
judge them real vegetables. But the various 
kinds obferved. by me are- very few, compared. 
with the immenfe number yet remaining to be 
examined ; for there is almoft no fub{tance, 
animal or vegetable, which in certain circumftan- 
ces is not liable to mould. Thofe who attach. 
themfelves to this branch of microfcopic botany: 
will have fufficient ufeful practice, and perhaps- 
may fucceed in difcovering the link conneéting. 
vegetables with minerals, which will render phi- 
lofophy a moft important fervice. For my own 
part, I fhall be content if, among other things, 1 
have 
eS 
