the boundaries of which present in general con- 

 vex or concave surfaces, describing curved or 

 undulating lines. Again, the association of the 

 several parts of which any component inorganic 

 substance is composed, is, as it were, accidental 

 and arbitrary, so that it may be described as des- 

 titute of individuality, no one part being con- 

 ducive to the perfection of the whole ; whereas, 

 in an organic substance, the association of the 

 several parts is fixed and definite, and each, be- 

 ing more or less essential to the integrity of the 

 whole, contributes thus to its individuality. " The 

 reason" says the celebrated philosopher Kant, 

 " of the existence of each part of an inorganized 

 being is to be found in itself, while, in organized 

 beings, the reason of the existence of each part 

 resides in the whole ;" and this individuality of 

 the latter is the more pronounced, that is to 

 say, they are less susceptible of division without 

 injury, the more complicated is their structure, 

 or, in other words, the more concentrated their 

 several organs have become. Lastly, the texture 

 of inorganic substances, composed as they are, 

 chiefly or entirely of solid particles, is more or 

 less hard or rigid ; while that of organic sub- 

 stances, which consist of a large proportion of 

 fluid particles pervading their solids, is, on the 

 contrary, soft and flexible. With respect to the 

 ultimate structure of organic substances on 

 which their texture depends, this, as far as it 

 can be ascertained by the unassisted senses, 

 consists essentially of a spongy substance, called 



E 



