324 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



not in the vegetable kingdom where 

 we were near two centuries ayjo in 

 the animal, when the great Harvey 

 withdrew the veil ? 



The many beautiful analogies ex- 

 isting between the two organized 

 kingdoms of nature, their similar 

 origin from t^'g to seed, their sub- 

 sequent developemcnt, and nour- 

 ishment by iiitus-susception ; the 

 power of continuing their species, 

 the limited time of their existence, 

 and, when not carried off by dis- 

 ease and premature death, posses- 

 sing in themselves the cause of their 

 own destruction ; have been so fa- 

 vourable to the supposition of the 

 existence of a complete chain of 

 beings, that there appeared to the 

 favourers of this opinion nothing to 

 be wanting to connect them, but 

 the loco-motive faculty ; for irrita- 

 bility, from phenomena in a few 

 vegetables, had been granted them 

 by some. This loco-motive facul- 

 ty, which is considered as a con- 

 aequence of volition, which is an 

 attribute of mind, they say, * is 

 manifested in the direction of the 

 roots towards the soil which af- 

 fords them their most proper nour- 

 ishment, and in the direction of the 

 tender shoots and leaves towards 

 the light, which is likewise neces- 

 sary to their well-being. These 

 facts are admitted, but not the con- 

 sequence drawn from them. 



It must indeed be allowed, that 

 vegetables do on some occasions act 

 as though possessed of volition, a- 

 'oiding those things that are inju- 

 rious to them, and turning towards 

 those that are beneficial ; thus ap- 

 pearing to act by choice, which 

 must be preceded by perceptivity. 



a favour that nature has granted, I 

 think to the animal world alone. 

 The following are brought as ex- 

 amplesf : 



A palm-tree twenty feet high, 

 growing upon the top of a wall, 

 straitened for nourishment in that 

 barien situation, directed its roots 

 down the side of the wall, till they 

 reached the ground ten feet below. 

 It has been amply repaid, say they, 

 for its trouble ever since, by plen- 

 ty of nourishment, and a more vi- 

 gorous vegetation has been the 

 consequence. On another occa- 

 sion, a plant being placed in a dark 

 room, where light was admitted 

 only through an aperture, put forth 

 its shoots towards the aperture, 

 which elongating passed through it ; 

 and this likewise was rewarded for 

 it trouble, by plenty of hght and 

 free air. 



That appearances so similar to 

 those that are observed in animals, 

 should be considered as proceeding' 

 from the same cause, viz. volition, 

 is not to be wondered at, when so 

 many of the inferior orders of ani- 

 mals hardly possess so much of the 

 loco-motive faculty ; particularly by 

 men of warm imaginations, who, 

 prepossessed in favour of an opi- 

 nion, were grasping at every dis- 

 tant analogy to support it. Though, 

 as 1 have said, we are by no means 

 acquainted with the course of their 

 proper fluids (succ'i proprVi), or 

 with the power by which they are 

 moved, nor even can say by what 

 power it is that the fluids, which 

 are its food, are taken in : yet so 

 far we know, that here, as in the 

 animal economy, there is a con- 

 stant change and evolution of their 



*Dr. Percival, Maneficster Transactions. •)■ Manchester TransactioHS. 



fluids, 



