PLANTS, AND INANIMATE MATTER. 



83 



hundred and twenty forms of life, and between some of 

 these he noticed that there were resemblances, while they 

 differed in the natm-e and quantity of vital principle which 

 they seemed to possess. Some forms of life contained very 

 little or none of the sentient vital principle. It was 

 through these that Nature passed from inanimate material 

 to undoubted plants and animals. This is exemplified in 

 Fig. 4, which sufficiently explains itself. 



FIG. 4. 



an 



','■ Ina'nimate 

 ^MVlatter 



In Aristotle's ascending scale, plants succeed inanimate 

 bodies. They hav© Ahe lowest form of vital principle, the 

 nutritive,* and exhibit movements due to growth and 

 decay, t They do not move from place to place, and, 

 although they are affected in some way by objects which 

 touch them, they have no sensory faculty.! Compared 

 with one another, they differ in the amount of vital principle 

 which they possess. § 



* De Anima, ii. c. 2, 4186, ii. c. 3, 415a. 

 \ Ibid. ii. c. 12, 424a. 



f lbi(L iii. c. 9, 432&. 

 § H, A. viii. c. 1, s. 2. 



