226 THE BIOCOSMOS PARTICULARIZED. 



other, show that the tree has a mighty aspira- 

 tion for something beyond its reach which it 

 seeks by piling step on step; every year it 

 acknowledges failure, but never fails to make 

 the fresh attempt with the coming spring. Its 

 organism is not strictly governed from with- 

 in by an established central authority, like 

 the developed animal, which has an organ- 

 controlling organ in its organism. Such self- 

 direction the Plant cannot have through lack 

 of such an organic center. Indeed those ex- 

 ternal concentric layers continually added to 

 the oak are pushing outward for aught which 

 it has not but longs for, namely, this inner 

 center which the higher animal Life pos- 

 sesses. Thus the Plant never attains its end; 

 if it did it would no longer be Plant ; still it 

 never gives up its pursuit; if it did, that 

 would destroy its vegetal character. The 

 Plant has been made the symbol of many 

 things; but its best symbolic suggestion is 

 this undying aspiration, ever disappointed 

 but ever revivifying. So that maple under 

 my window is sending forth an eternal sigh : 

 * ' I long to have a brain like you, or even like 

 your dog." 



Plant language, however, is very differently 

 translated by different translators, and so 

 we pass on to say that Growth is the highest 

 stage of Assimilation which herein not only 



