Br. Bell on the Pkyfwlogy of Plants. 433 



that they are pofTefTed of any intelligent power, 

 which prefides over and diredls their peculiar 

 fundtions. 



Both plants and aninnals are, froni their con- 

 ftrudion, much under the influence of ftimuli, 

 and all organized beings are regulated more by 

 general, than particular, laws. 



The principle of life feems univerfally difFufed 

 through nature, but beftowed on different beings 

 in different degrees. To animals is given the 

 largefl: fhare; but throughout the whole animal 

 kingdom, one fjecies defcends belov/ another 

 in the perfection of its mental powers, as well as 

 of its organic fenfations. And this progrefllon 

 is fo very gradual, that the mofl: perfeft, of an 

 inferior fpecies, approaches very near to the mofl 

 imperfect, of that which is above it. The chain 

 is continued between vegetables and animals. 

 Both have the power of propagating their 

 fpecies, and their modes of procreation are 

 fimilar. In the lower claffes of animals, the 

 powers of fenfe and motion are very indiftindt. 

 The coral and the water polypus adhere to rocks, 

 as plants to the earth ; and, like thefe, die on 

 being fevered from the place where they grew. 

 There are likewife plants, which in many things 

 refcmble animals. The Burrhum Chundalli, 

 lately brought from the Eaft Indies, polTefl^es a 

 living principle, which difcovers itfelf in the 

 fpontaneous, and almoil conftant motion of its 



Vol. II, F f leaves 



