&BCT.-H.] DEFINITION OF A JPLANT. 43 



want of locomotion, therefore, cannot, with pro- 

 priety, be regarded in a definition as a distinguish- 

 ing characteristic of vegetables. 



I have already stated that Jungius mentions the 

 want of sensation as distinguishing plants ; an opi- 

 nion which Linnaeus also held : " Lapides crescunt," 

 says he, " vegetabilia crescunt et vivunt, animalia 

 " crescunt, vivunt, et sentiunt*," " Stones grow, 

 " vegetables grow and live, animals grow and live 

 " and feel." Although this opinion has been dis- 

 puted by several philosophers, and Sir J. E. Smith, 

 in his Introduction to physiological and systema- 

 tical Botany, puts the idea of vegetables being 

 sentient beings as an admissible supposition, yet 

 there is more reason for thinking that they are not 

 endowed with this principle, which seems to be the 

 peculiar attribute of animal life. We can scarcely 

 form any idea of an animal devoid of sensation ; 

 but the spontaneous movements which are ob- 

 served in some plants, and on which the opinion 

 of their sentient power is founded, may, perhaps, 

 be accounted for, independent of sensation. Sir 

 J. E. Smith, in support of his opinion, says, " Such 

 " a supposition accords with all the best ideas we 

 *' can form of the divine Creator; nor could the 

 " consequent uneasiness," adds he, " which plants 

 ^ must suffer, no doubt in a very low degree like- 



Phil. Bat. 5. 



