Perceptive Power of Vegetables, 12^ 



may be difcovered to extend, even beyond the 

 limits now afligned to vegetable life. Corallines, 

 madrepores, millepores, and fpunges were for- 

 merly confidered as foflil bodies : but the ex- 

 periments of Count Marfigli evinced, that they 

 are endued with life, and led him to clafs them 

 with the maritime plants. And the obfervations 

 of Ellis, JufTieu and Peyfonel, have fince raifed 

 them to the rank of animals.* The detedioa 

 of error, in long eftablifhed opinions concerning 

 one branch of natural knowledge, juftifies the 

 fufpicion of its exiftence in others, which are 

 nearly allied to it : And it will appear, from 

 the profecution of our enquiry into the inftincls, 

 fpontaneity, and felf-moving power of vegetables, 

 that the fufpicion is not without foundation. 



II. Instinct is a propenfity, or movement to 

 feek, without deliberation, what is agreeable to 

 the particular nature, aftuated by it; and to 

 avoid what is incongruous or hurtful. It is a 

 praftical power, which requires no previous 

 knowledge or experience ; and which purfues 

 a prefent or future good, without any definite 

 ideas or forefight; and often, with very faint 

 degrees of confcioufnefs. The calf, when it 

 firlt comes into the world, applies to the teats 

 of the cow, utterly ignorant of the tafte, or 

 nutritious quality of the milk, and confequently, 



• Confult Philof. Tranfadl. Amasnitat. Academic, and 

 Jifliop Watfon on the Subjefls of Chemiftry. 



K 3 wt I, 



