280 Dr Daubeny on the Writings and 



species was originally created within a certain distance of the 

 locality where it is met with, having spread itself to a point* 

 more or less remote from its original site, according as cir- 

 cumstances were more or loss favourable to its propagation. 



This question, which involves higher considerations than 

 those relating merely to botany, has been discussed by Monsieur 

 Decandolle with his usual sagacity and judgment, and the re- 

 sult he has arrived at seems to be — that it is far more easy to 

 explain, on physical principles, the occurrence in a compara- 

 tively small number of cases of the same species in distant 

 regions of the globe, than the limitation of the greater num- 

 ber to certain fixed geographical limits by considerations of 

 climate. 



Thus, he observes, it would not be difficult to pitch upon 

 two points of the globe situated respectively, either in the 

 United States and in Europe, or in America and tropical 

 Africa, presenting the same circmnstances of temperature, 

 elevation, soil, and humidity, and yet with a perfectly distinct 

 flora ; Avhilst, on the other hand, if a plant be pointed out 

 which occurs in two localities very remote one from the other, 

 we may generally discover something, in the nature of its seed- 

 vessel, in its known properties, or in its uses, which may have 

 caused its propagation and naturalization in regions to which 

 it was not indigenous. 



He thus arrives at a conclusion, in entire harmony with 

 those views which I have before represented him as enter- 

 taining, with respect to the perfect condition in which all the 

 works of nature had issued from the hand of the Creator ; in- 

 ferring, that each plant was at first established in some parti- 

 cular locality for which its habits and structure were suited, 

 not that it was rendered what it is, by the operation of the 

 causes which there affected it ; contending, in opposition to 

 Lamarck, for the permanency of species, and making common 

 cause with Cuvier in opposing the absurd and dangerous theory 

 of spontaneous generation. 



One of the strongest reasons for preferring a natural ar- 

 rangement of plants to an artificial one is, that the former 

 affords us a clew to the medicinal, as well as to all the other 

 qualities which may be expected to reside in a particular 

 species. 



