94 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



turn, are exercised for the growth and support of 

 organic life. 



LXXIX. In those beings which constitute the 

 links between animal and vegetable existence, 

 no nervous system has been detected ; and yet, 

 from the more complex actions which these ex- 

 hibit, it is reasonable to suppose, if such, or si- 

 milar actions, in a more perfect organization, are 

 invariably connected with or produced by nerves, 

 that a nervous system ought to exist. The ab^ 

 sence of such parts ought to teach the physiolo- 

 gist to investigate minutely the systems of those 

 individuals who exhibit only the first rudiments 

 of vegetable and animal life ; and if these have an 

 operation or design analogous to the systems 

 of those whose functions are more extensive, 

 whose relations are more numerous, and whose 

 susceptibilities are greater, he must not measure 

 the laws of the former by his indefinite ideas or 

 principles derived from the latter. If he does, 

 the consequence will be, that the systems of 

 the former will remain unknown, and his know- 

 ledge of those of the latter will be confused or 

 uncertain. 



Abbe HAUY, by taking a crystal, and chipping 

 it, was enabled to discriminate the form of its 

 original nucleus or constitution ; but to detect 

 the important laws of the animal creation, we 

 must not commence by removing the many ad- 

 ditions which have been bestowed and multipli- 



