VI PREFACE. 



exceptions have a tendency to be classed under the 

 established law^s, or whether they require to be admitted 

 into new ones. For, in proportion as my observations 

 are multiplied, as they have been increased by the 

 labours of the most skilful botanists of the present 

 day, as analogous labours have been published upon 

 the animal kingdom, I have successively seen most of 

 the facts which it would appear inconsistent to class in 

 the doctrines which I have proposed ; I have seen dis- 

 appear, by a better observation, the anomalies to which, 

 for reasons of prudence, I gave some weight ; I have 

 seen most of those who began by opposing my opinions, 

 finish by admitting them, although frequently with dif- 

 ferent terms, and some of them without mentioning their 

 origin ; and I have been led to believe that the time 

 elapsed since the publication of the T/ieorie Elimeji- 

 taire, has been usefully employed in the discovery of the 

 truth. During this interval, a great number of facts, or 

 opinions, which I have either pointed out by some words 

 in the Thtorie Elementaire, or reserved for the Organo- 

 graphy, have been observed and published by others ; 

 but far from having regret, I have thought with pleasure 

 that these facts, divested of all theoretical idea, may be 

 admitted with more confidence by those who would be 

 alarmed at new theories, — as if to reject them was dif- 

 ferent from retaining an old one, most frequently ad- 

 mitted without examination. 



Organography is the common basis of all the parts of 

 the science of organized beings ; considered with regard 

 to what relates to the symmetry of beings, it is the foun- 

 dation of all the theory of classifications ; with regard to 

 the use of organs, it is the base of physiology ; with 

 regard to the exact description of these organs, it is the 

 principle of glossology and descriptive natural history. 

 If I only published it after my Theorie EUmentaire , it 



