172 Morphology under the Doctrine of [Book i. 



are subject to constant modification and improvement; each 

 more general truth has only a temporary value, and endures as 

 long as no new facts militate against it. The distinction there- 

 fore between idealism and the inductive method in the domain 

 of natural science comes to this, that the former fits new facts 

 into a scheme of old conceptions, the latter deduces new 

 conceptions from new facts ; the one is in its nature dogmatic 

 and intolerant, the other eminently critical ; the one is con- 

 servative, the other always pressing forwards ; the one inclines 

 to philosophic contemplation, the other to vigorous and 

 productive investigation. To this must be added one point 

 of great importance ; the idealistic view of nature, rejecting 

 causality, explains nature from notions of design, and is 

 teleological ; ethical and even theological elements are thus 

 introduced into natural science. 



It is in this form that the distinction between the idealistic 

 view represented by Braun and the modern inductive mor- 

 phology presents itself to us. If it were the task of this history 

 only to record the discovery of new facts, it would be super- 

 fluous to allude to these differences here ; but then it would 

 also be impossible to estimate rightly that portion of Braun's 

 long scientific labours which is at once the most original and 

 the most interesting from the historical point of view, and 

 which is to be found not so much in his many descriptive and 

 monographic works, as in his philosophic efforts in the domain 

 of morphology; these moreover deserve our consideration, 

 because they carry out Goethe's half-explained conceptions to 

 their remotest consequences, and express in purer form the ideal- 

 ism which lies at the foundation of the older nature-philosophy. 

 No botanist since Cesalpino has so thoroughly endeavoured to 

 leaven the entire results of inductive investigation with the prin- 

 ciples of an idealistic philosophy, and to explain them in its light. 



Braun's philosophical views not only accompany his know- 

 ledge of facts, but everywhere permeate and colour it ; in his 

 writings, contributions, and monographs on the most various 



