169 



tains ks peculiar substance,differing from that of ercry 

 other kind. And all these characters belong also to 

 seeds of every kiud. They hate their coverings, more 

 or less compact, according to their necessities. Their 

 forms are convenient. The substances they con- 

 tain are specifically different from each other, and 

 their offspring proceeds from them in the same manner 

 as animals proceed from their eggs. 



But beside the substances peculiar to each seed, 

 there is a peculiar organization treasured up in each, 

 which is the rudiment of the future plant capable 

 of being propagated into such a plant as it sprung 

 from and no other. So in every one of the nut kind 

 there is a visible organization, peculiar to each spe- 

 cies. And if such an organization appear in every 

 seed, which is large enough to be viewed clearly, we 

 cannot reasonably doubt of their existence, even in 

 those which are so small as to escape our sight. There 

 are multitudes of seeds, which produce large platits, 

 and yet appear only like dust, and a vast number, 

 which we cannot see, but by the microscope. And 

 yet these doubtless have all their peculiar forms, and 

 their organizations as well as the larger. 



But from what are these organizations produced ? 

 How does every plant or animal bring forth a fresh 

 one after its kind ? A little of this we may under- 

 stand, if we trace a tree and an animal through 

 every stage from the egg to their utmost growth. 



See a young tree pushing out its leaves and flow- 

 ers, till it has extruded an entire set of boughs and 

 branches. One part regularly opens after another 

 from the first shoot, till it conies to perfection. Then, 

 arid not before, it produces seeds, containing the 

 rudiments of other trees like itself. The fibres of its 

 general organization grow into little knots, some to 

 form leaves, some the caiix, some the petals, some 

 the pistil and utricle, some again the little seeds, 

 each growing from its own pedicle. For the male 

 parts, other fibres are formed into stamina, and 

 from these terminate into apices ; and agaiu from 



VOL. II. I 



