ARRANGEMENT OF PLANTS. 309 



a herbal. In this work, several of the species 

 included in those natural families to which we have 

 alluded 2 , as for instance, the Labiate, the CrutS- 

 ferse, the Composite, are for the most part brought 

 together; and thus, although with many mistakes 

 as to such connexions, a new principle of order is 

 introduced into the subject. 



In pursuing the developement of such principles 

 of natural order, it is necessary to recollect that the 

 principles lead to an assemblage of divisions and 

 groups, successively subordinate the lower to the 

 higher, like the brigades, regiments, and companies 

 of an army, or the provinces, townships, and parishes 

 of a kingdom. Species are included in Genera, 

 Genera in Families or Orders, and Orders in Classes. 

 The perception that there is some connexion among 

 the species of plants, was the first essential step; 

 the detection of different marks and characters 

 which should give, on the one hand, limited groups, 

 on the other, comprehensive divisions, were other 

 highly-important parts of this advance. To point 

 out every successive movement in this progress 

 would be a task of extreme difficulty, but we may 

 note, as the most prominent portions of it, the esta- 

 blishment of the groups which immediately include 

 species, that is, the formation of Genera ; and the 

 invention of a method which should distribute into 

 consistent and distinct divisions the whole vege- 

 table kingdom, that is, the construction of a System. 



2 Sprengel, i. 270. 



