ON THE NATURAL AKRANGEMENT. 105 



of Tnchomanes ; between tlie Musci hepatici and tlie Lichens 

 are Riccia and Enchcarpon ; between the Lichens and Fungi 

 are Calkium^ Stilhum, and Oj}egrap]ia ; — all evidently inter- 

 mediate forms. If we could shew similar intermediate forms 

 throughout the whole of the vegetable kingdom, it might then 

 be likened to a chain, the links of which were in every instance 

 connected, and where no proper separation of the parts could 

 be perceived. On the one hand, this account seems to be 

 daily more and more confirmed by recent observations. The 

 Compos'ita; and Lobelieae have lately been united by the genus 

 Brunon'ia^ in such a manner, that this genus may be consi- 

 dered as their intermediate form. 



But, on the other hand, we must recollect, that although 

 Nature makes no leaps, yet she does not appear to proceed 

 uninterruptedly from inferior to higher degrees of perfection, 

 but that her forms are repeated in several families ; and if we 

 take the whole together, we shall commonly find, that of two 

 nearly related families, the one is the more perfect in many 

 respects, but that in other respects again it is by much the 

 least perfect. If, for instance, we compare the Musci hepa- 

 tici with the Ferns, the latter, by their frequently shrub- 

 by growth, resembling that of Palms, and still more by the 

 complete state of their spiral vessels and slits, shew a consider- 

 able degree of perfection. The Musci frondosi, again, although 

 they want these distinctions, shew not only doubly formed 

 sexual parts, but the leaves ^^hich cover these parts are often co- 

 loured in the manner of a corolla. These are marks of a higher 

 perfection, which is wanting in the Ferns. In the same man- 

 ner, we shall find throughout the whole vegetable kingdom, 

 that the growth with two separate cotyledons, and the con- 

 sumption of the albuminous substance, by the formation of 

 the embryon, are proofs of a higher perfection. But there 

 are not only tribes and families, which, along with their more 

 perfect formation in other respects, yet retain the albuminous 

 substance, as the Caryophyllea?, Portulacea^, and Aizoidac, 

 but among what have been called the lower plants we often 

 remark a degree of completeness and perfection in the forms, 



