SURVEY OF THE REPRODUCTIVE PROC^'^;^ 17 



II. 



SURVEY OF THE REPRODUCTIVE PROCESS IN 

 THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



What is true in a degree of all physical science, applies with 

 especial force to Biology — namely, that the so-called 

 " General Laws," being really nothing else than general 

 expressions of facts, can only be determined when the in- 

 dividual facts have first been clearly ascertained in a great 

 variety of instances, and then carefully and minutely com- 

 pared for the discovery of their mutual relations. A 

 partial selection of facts can serve only as the basis of con- 

 jecture, and nothing, probably, does more to damage the 

 progress of science than the abuse of hypotheses, to give a 

 false show of symmetry and completeness to empty systems, 

 which are the product merely of the speculator's fancy, and 

 have no real counterpart in nature. Our dislike to confess 

 ignorance, and go through investigations which promise no 

 immediate result, predispose us but too much to adopt such 

 ready-made systems, which must fall to pieces, indeed, 

 at last from their own rottenness, but which, for a time, do 

 much mischief by stifling the ardour of research, or giving 

 it such a false bias as to cause facts and relations to be 

 overlooked in a manner which seems almost incredible 

 after the delusion has once passed away. 



Yet it is admitted that there is a use of hypothesis in 

 science which is perfectly legitimate, and which, when em- 

 ployed with due tact and caution, has proved of most signal 

 service in the hands of many of the most gifted students of 

 nature in unlocking her secret recesses. 



What is it but such a guarded use of hypothesis that 

 gives modern chemistry a claim to rank as a philosopliical 



