X PREFACE. 



deliver over his little work to more general diffusion. 

 May the reader receive it kindly, as a little nail in the 

 great structure which Natural Science has to erect, to 

 which each labourer seeks to add his contribution in his 

 own way, and to work for which, with voice and pen, 

 is the endeavour, the life, and the happiness of the 

 Naturalist 



THE AUTHOR. 



GIESSEN ; February, 1851. 



Since the original of this work was published, the 

 Author has been chosen to succeed the late Professor 

 Link in the University of Berlin ; and now occupies a 

 position commensurate with his numerous and elaborate 

 contributions to Science. Modestly as he speaks of this 

 remarkable work, the Translator has no hesitation in 

 designating it one of the most important of modern con- 

 tributions to the Philosophy of Botany. Without enter- 

 ing into the discussion of the curious speculations 

 indicated in the title, attention is especially to be called to 

 the lucid exposition of the Morphology of Plants, and to 

 the definite establishment and full illustration of the laws 

 of this branch of botanical science ; to the section upon 

 Cell-formation, again, which constitutes a body of fact 

 and theory of the utmost importance to Physiology, 

 Animal as well as Vegetable, since, bringing together 

 and completing the various recent publications on the 



