328 GOETHE ON. THE METAMORPHOSIS: OF PLANTS. 
seed-leaves to the mature fruit, mounting upwards through a series of: 
transformations, as by an imaginary ladder, to that crowning aim of" 
nature, the propagation of the plant by the male and female organs. 
I have been attentively observing this process for several years, and it 
is for the purpose of explaining it that I propose to write this Essay. I 
shall treat of annual plants only, and the manner in which they progress 
from the seed to the fruit. | 
Ti ‘Irregular metamorphosis might be equally well styled relrogres- 
sive; "For as in the former case nature hastens forward to her 
object, shé here takes one or more steps backward. In the former 
instance, with irresistible impulse and powerful effort she forms the 
flowers and fits them for their office; in the latter she seems, as it 
were, to relax, and irresolutely leaves her work in an unfinished, weakly 
condition, pleasing often to the eye, but intrinsically powerless and in- 
active. By means of practical observations made upon this kind of 
metamorphosis, we shall unveil that which in the ordinary way of 
development is concealed from us, and here shall see clearly what there 
we dare only infer. We may thus hope to attain, with the greatest 
certainty, the purpose we have in view. i 
8. We will not take into consideration the third kind of metamor- - 
phosis, which is produced accidentally and by external causes (especially 
through the operation of insects),* as it might lead us away from our 
plain path, and interfere with our object. Occasion may perhaps be. 
found to speak elsewhere of those excrescences, which, monstrous - 
though they be, are nevertheless confined within certain limits. — as 
9. I publish this Essay without illustrations, although in many 2 
respects they might appear necessary. I reserve the introduction of 
them till some future time; an intention which may not improbably | 
be carried out,t as sufficient matter still remains for elucidatin 
further enlarging the present short and merely prefatory treatise. 
will not then be necessary to keep so measured a step as now. 4 9? 
be able to introduce much that is illustrative of the subject, and to cite 
many passages from authors holding similar views. 1 shall most. 
Dahlberg, Diss. Bot. Metamorph. Plant. sub presid. Linn.: Holm 
Fa 
1837, by Dr. C. F. Martins, accompanied by an atlas containi 
g and | , 
=. Vid. Aman : 
T An edition of Goethe’s papers on Natural History was published at Parm 
». 
nal drawings, as well as three by Turpin, with notes illustrative of the meta en 9" e 
pce the in a paper entitled “ Wirkung sind Uds 
hus carrying out a wish expressed by Goe 
Schrift und weitere Entfaltung der rats vorgetragenen Idee,” 1830. 
