GEOGRAPHICAL VICISSITUDES OF PLANTS. 303 



than does the surface of the ocean. The vegetable 

 kingdom has had its ebbs and flows, its develop- 

 ments and degenerations. The story of the life of 

 plants is one nearly analogous to that of the life of 

 men — full of failures and successes, of ambitious 

 efforts, and degenerations ending in extinction ! The 

 path of human history is thickly strewn with projects 

 and follies, and the strata of the earth's crust are 

 equally abundant in the remains of fossil plants 

 belonging to genera no longer existing, showing us 

 that the pedigree of the vegetable kingdom has 

 suffered the same incidents as that of humanity. 

 In each case out of weakness has been evolved 

 strength. The extinct types of plants served as a 

 platform on which more highly-organised forms could 

 be evolved — the follies of mankind have been the 

 means of developing higher wisdom and prudence. 

 Even degeneration, both in plants and men, has 

 originated new characters and unexpected habits. 



To myself it does not seem possible to contem- 

 plate this tangle of Vegetable Life and its conditions, 

 geological, astronomical, geographical, and biological 

 — this series of progressions, degenerations, modifica- 

 tions, and adaptations, rising and falling during 

 the millions of years which have passed away since 

 it began, and which has culminated in the wonderful 

 flora now possessing the earth — without feeling that 

 underneath and behind all are the Untiring purposes 

 of Divine Wisdom and Love ! 



