ON THE POLITY OF NATURE. 49 
in, at the time of the absorption by animals or plants. We 
know, that upon being absorbed, they enter into combina- 
tions depending on the living principle; but where is the 
proof, that animals can form new combinations only from 
those bodies already in living union? The Cheese Mite 
and the Blue Mould, are both supported by the same food ; 
and the observation applies to many dung-beetles and mush- 
rooms. How many plants and animals appear to subsist 
on water only ? 
In the course of the preceding observations, we have at- 
tempted to mark the characters by which plants and ani- 
mals may be distinguished from each other. Instead of 
giving a definition of these organized beings, in order to 
draw the line of separation, we have preferred a description 
in detail. Many of the definitions which have been given, 
do not embrace all the species of the two classes, but serve 
to characterize the largest and most perfect merely. They 
indicate a limited acquaintance with the extensive range 
of living bemgs. Such are the definitions of THEoPHRAs- 
Tus, JuNcIus, TourNEFoRT, PoNTEDERA, Lupwic, Borr- 
HAAVE, Linnexus and Mirzert; which do not surpass in 
point of clearness or acuteness, the discrimmations of ARriIs- 
TrorLe: From this last naturalist nearly all of them appear 
to have derived their origin. 
Crat ry: 
ON THE POLITY OF NATURE. 
Haine, in the preceding chapter, taken a general view 
of the constitution of those great classes into which the crea- 
tures of this Globe may be divided, we come now to trace 
the relation in which these classes stand to one another ; or 
to examine what has been termed the Polity of Nature. 
VOL. I. D 
