OF VEGETABLE SYMMETRY. 305 



be classed with any method, for the least anomaly ob- 

 served between any two individuals or groups would 

 prevent all their other analogies from being recognised. 



But the more the number of known beings increased, 

 and the more carefully they were studied, the more were 

 naturalists convinced of the principle which I have been 

 the first, or one of the first, to declare in general terms, 

 viz., that it is almost certain that organized beings are 

 symmetrical or regular when considered in their type, 

 and that the apparent irregularities of plants are con- 

 nected with phenomena constant within certain limits, 

 and capable of existing either separately or collectively, 

 such as the abortion or degeneration of certain organs, 

 their union with one another, or with others, and their 

 multiplication after regular laws. 



I shall here confine myself to giving a few conside- 

 rations upon the importance and utility of this method 

 in studying plants, both as regards their organization 

 and classification. 



The number of truly distinct organs is found to be 

 prodigiously reduced when we analyze their nature ; we 

 see that several to which an important character has been 

 attributed are only simple modifications of others ; and 

 we can recognise the same organ under different ap- 

 pearances, and consecpiently follow a true comparative 

 Organography. 



All the numerous class of facts, known under the 

 name of monstrosities, which it was impossible to under- 

 stand by the old system, and were therefore left unstu- 

 died — all this class, I say, has been elucidated, and taken 

 a new interest, since they have been examined in their 

 true point of view, — as indications for recognising the 

 normal symmetry of beings. Monstrosities are, as it 

 were, experiments which nature makes for the profit of 

 the observer : here we see what are the organs, when 



VOL. II. x 



