*ftb initiis. Natural History teaches the knowledge of single, in- 

 dividual things on the planet, their development and perfection, 

 and all their relations. Water, Air, and Ether, or Light and 

 Warmth, which do not appear as separate and individual things, 

 belong to other sciences. But if we observe the Earth-element 

 we find a remarkable deviation from the others just mentioned. 

 Our planet consists, not of one and the same mass, but of a multi- 

 tude of things extremely distinct from each other, so that there 

 is no such thing as earth in general, but only particular ingredients 

 thereof, variously disposed. Thence follows a manifoldness of 

 things, and thereout springs Natural Science ; for were there only 

 one Earth, as there is only one Water, one Air, and one Ether, 

 Chemistry only, Physics, and Mathematics could be concerned 

 with it. 



The earthy things which are the objects of Natural Science 

 have then their definite ingredients, properties, and forms, and we 

 call them Individuals; not animals only and vegetables, but in- 

 organic bodies also, from the fixedness of their chemical constitu- 

 ents, since by chemical decomposition these last become wholly 

 different from what they were before. 



The differences of the Earth-element must have a cause outside 

 of them, since nothing changes itself of itself. But there is noth- 

 ing beside but Water, Air, and Ether or Fire. These three, then, 

 have produced the changes in the Earth-element, and according as 

 the combination is either, first, binary, when only a single element, 

 as Water, Air, or Fire, combines with Earth ; or, second, ternary, 

 when two elements, Water and Air, are combined with Earth ; or, 

 third, quaternary, when Water, Air, and Fire, that is, all other ele- 

 ments, are combined with Earth ; the three kingdoms, mineral, 

 vegetable, and animal arise. 



The Plant, then, is formed by Earth, Water, and Air; receiving 

 through the former nutritition, in the veins (intercellular passa- 

 ges) ; through the water digestion, in the cells ; through the air 

 the process of breathing, in the spiral vessels; the Earth pre- 

 dominating in Acotyledonese, the Water in Monocotyledonese, and 

 the Air in Dicotyledonese. (So far I proceed with the general po- 

 sitions of the author: his further observations, in regard to the in- 

 fusorial or living nature of the ground-matter of organisms; his hy- 

 pothesis of life ; and his consideration of the distinctions to be 

 found between plants and animals may be turned to in his work.) 



A perfect plant, then, is distinguished into Stalk and Bloom ; or- 

 gans, that is, of preservation and propagation. 



In the Stalk we have Root, Stem, and Leaves. 



In the Bloom we have Blossom, Capsule, Seed, and Fruit. 



All consist of cells, veins, and spiral vessels. 



In the Stalk, once more, we distinguish Bark, Liber, and Wood. 



Those parts of an organism of which all others are composed 

 are Tissues. Those which unsundered run through the whole are 

 Anatomical Systems. Those which occupy a smaller and peculiar 

 place are Organs. We arrange all, in the order of development, 

 as follows : 



1* 



