10 



lowing the numbers of the classes in each division ; so that the first 

 class of the second division is a repetition of [or analogous to] the 

 first class of the first division, and so on. They are potences of 

 each other. Our author's first example is striking on several ac- 

 counts : Fungi Gramineee Compositae Ranunculacese 

 Amentacese. And 3. Parallel Affinity [Analogy], in which, when 

 the classes are placed parallel to each other, the orders and genera 

 fall likewise parallel and correspond. 



All these distinctions, and particularly the general one of Affini- 

 ty and Analogy are most important ; and will be several times re- 

 ferred to in this paper. Oken says they were confounded by bota- 

 nists generally, till set forth in his system. That this via subjectiva, 

 by which the whole Okenian Disposition might have been suggest- 

 ed, is perfectly safe in empirical science, or that it is in any way to 

 be substituted for experience, no one will be rash enough to affirm. 

 If, on the other hand, it were neglected (a case, indeed, quite impossi- 

 ble), science would suffer, and to the extent of the neglect. 



With regard to the system, the elements of which have been 

 above delineated, I have little to say, generally, that will not readily 

 occur to others occupied in these studies. That a materialist should 

 assume the possibility of constructing, should, after his knowledge, 

 so to say, construct the absolute system of nature, is not at all won- 

 derful. But to those who start from other grounds, the absolute 

 system of nature is itself SM/?rctnatural. And thus I found myself, 

 before reflection, and much more before experiment, at once 

 refusing to receive Oken's system. With this, which is not whol- 

 ly irrelevant, I will state a single fundamental objection to the 

 above, sufficient, in my view, to justify us in rejecting it as a system. 

 (The more general grounds of Oken's system of the world, of which 

 the kingdom of plants is but a portion, and which are in part briefly 

 presented in the above, are, so far as essential to the system, still more 

 certainly uncertain and hypothetical, than the particular instance in 

 Botany which I am to notice. Of all such views we may briefly 

 say, they do not need to be disproved, but to be proved.) 1 



The importance, then, attributed by the author to the meatus or 

 ductus intercellulares, is not admitted by other botanists, and with- 

 out further evidence than we have, must be pronounced merely 

 hypothetical. An examination of the application of this hypothesis 

 in detail is unnecessary, for a very glance at the Vein-plants, so 

 called, in the tabular statements above, will, I think, be enough 

 to satisfy any botanist that he is not here on firm ground. And to 

 look at the primary, the true Vein-plants, which are the middle 

 series of the Pith-plants : we find here Mosses, aquatic Algae, 



1 Naturalists have little to do with ' popular' hypothetical constructions, 

 unless, as in the above, they be expressed definitely in a system. It is a pity 

 there are any ' popular' books of the kind ; for the uncertain regions of science 

 seem hardly the sphere of members of parliament or general readers. 



