FOUNDATIONS OF ANATOMY 31 



with physiological theories. Indeed it would appear 

 that the primary object of these investigations into 

 structure was to discover how the machine carried out 

 its duties. As Grew says in his preface, " By thus 

 comparing of them (i.e. the several plants or parts of 

 plants) we shall be able more exactly to state the orders 

 and degrees of their affinities ; better to understand both 

 the causes and ends of their varieties and more probably 

 to conjecture their natures and vertues." 



The field of investigation was so new and so extensive 

 and the means, looking at them from our standpoint, so 

 inadequate that Grew is unable to refrain from making 

 an anticipatory apology for his possible non-success. 

 *' I know^it will be difficult," he says, " to make observa- 

 tions of this kind upon the organical parts of plants," 

 but nevertheless he takes heart of grace in the following 

 quaint words. " For what we obtain of Nature, we must 

 not do it by commanding, but by courting of her . . . 

 wherever men will go beyond phansie and imagination, 

 depending upon the conduct of Divine wisdom, they must 

 labour, hope, and persevere. And as the means pro- 

 pounded, are all necessary, so they may, in some measure, 

 prove effectual. How far I promise not ; the way is 

 long and dark ... the way of Nature, is so impervious, 

 and, as I may say, downhill and uphill, that how far so 

 ever we go, yet the surmounting of one difficulty, is wont 

 still to give us the prospect of another. ... To conclude, 

 if but httle should be effected, yet to design more, can 

 do us no harm ; for though a man shall never be able to 

 hit stars by shooting at them ; yet he shall come much 

 nearer to them, than another that throws at apples." 

 Consoling himself with these reflections, Grew begins his 

 investigations. 



His fundamental thesis is that every plant organ 

 consists of two ''organical parts essentially distinct," 

 viz. the pithy part and the lignous part, or " such 

 others as are analogous to either of these." In a seed 



