NOTE. 259 



NOTE. 



I HAVE noticed in the Preface to the Second and Third 

 Editions (S. xiii., p. xii. English Trans.) the subject of the 

 republicatiori here of the preceding pages, which were 

 first printed in Schiller's Horen (Jahrg. 1795, St. 5, S. 

 90-96). They contain the development of a physiological 

 idea clothed in a semi-mythical garb. In the Latin "Apho- 

 risms from the Chemical Physiology of Plants" appended to 

 my "Subterranean Elora," in 1793, I had denned the 

 " vital force" as " the unknown cause which prevents the 

 elements from following their original affinities." The 

 first of my aphorisms were as follows : " Rerum naturam 

 si totam consideres, magnum atque durabile, quod inter 

 elementa intercedit, discrimen perspicies, quorum altera 

 affiuitatum legibus obtemperantia, altera, vinculis solutis^ 

 varie juncta apparent. Quod quidem discrimen in elementis 

 ipsis eorumque indole neutiquam positum, quum ex sola 

 distributioue singulorum petendum esse videatur. Materiam 

 segnem, brutam, inanimam earn vocamus, cujus stamina 

 secundum leges chymicse affinitatis mixta sunt. Animata 

 atque organica ea potissimum corpora appellamus, quse, licet 

 in novas mutari formas perpetuo tendant, vi interna quaclam 

 continentur, quominus priscam sibique insitarn formam relin- 

 quant. x 



