2 SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



brain of one of the lower animals ; the brain being 

 seated within the anterior end of the body, receiving 

 impressions from the sense-organs, and directing the 

 several movements." 



It is only within the last few years, since botany 

 has been studied from its biological side, that we 

 have wakened up to understand what wonderful 

 objects plants are. A new language has been de- 

 veloped in which to describe their novel relationships. 

 Whether we believe in the consciousness of plant-life 

 or not, this language almost implies such a belief 

 We speak of plants adopting this habit or that device 

 — always and only when such habits and devices 

 are beneficial to them — as if they did it of set and 

 intelligent purpose. The works of Darwin, Lubbock, 

 Miiller, Wallace, Kerner, Grant Allen, Wilson, and 

 others, are particularly noticeable for this style of 

 description. Who knows — perhaps there can be no 

 life, animal or vegetable, unaccompanied by con- 

 sciousness ! The minutest animalcule, lowest placed 

 in the scale of animal being, displays a consciousness 

 of external surroundings as simple and elementary 

 as its own structure ; and its life is passed in volun- 

 tarily and automatically responding to them. From 

 this vanishing point of intelligence up to the genius 

 of Shakespere, if we were in possession of all the 

 facts, it might be possible to intercalate every inter- 

 mediate stage of mental development and difference. 



Perhaps one reason why plants have been denied 



