530 BEYIEWS — TYPICAL POEMS AND 



this interesting subject. In particular, they have made admirable 

 use of the most recent discoveries in Animal and Vegetable Physi- 

 ology ; shewing, that, in every animal and plant, a system of serially 

 repeated parts (Homotypes) can be traced ; that we likewise meet, in 

 each of the great leading divisions both of the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms, with a system of answering parts (Homologues) ; and that, 

 moreover, when we compare the two organic kingdoms with one ano- 

 ther, we can, to a certain extent, detect parallelisms in developement, 

 (Homoeophytes.) In the course of their discussion of these points, 

 our authors advance a theory regarding the structure of plants, which 

 distinguished botanists, though hesitating in the meantime positively 

 to accept, appear to regard as by no means unworthy of consideration. 

 It is now universally acknowledged that all the parts of a plant are 

 formed on one or other of two types, the stem or the leaf — a discovery 

 due (strange to think) to a poet, whose delight in nature and loving 

 observation of its forms, enabled him to detect what the mere men of 

 science not only had overlooked, but w r ere long reluctant to admit, 

 even after it was pointed out. The sepals, the petals, the stamens, the 

 pistils, are — not indeed metamorphosed leaves, as Goethe rather loosely 

 termed them — but parts formed on the model of the leaf. In like 

 manner, the branches, in all their subdivisions, with the roots, must 

 be classed typically with the stem. Buds and seeds are virtually re- 

 petitions of the entire plant. This is now (we sa} r ) an established 

 doctrine ; but Dr. McCosh— for the idea would seem to have origina- 

 ted with him — is of opinion that the generalization may be carried 

 still further, and that the stem and leaf have themselves a common 

 typical form ; so that only a single primitive model must be recog- 

 nised, after which all the parts of a plant, without exception, are 

 constructed. We merely advert to this theory as a proof of the 

 suggestive character of the work under review, and of the original 

 and independent thinking which it contains. Among the minor illus- 

 trations given of the principle] of order, we were much struck with 

 the chapter on the colors of plants. To a careless observer, nothing 

 in nature would seem to be more irregular than the distribution of 

 color ; yet even this is found to be guided by laws pretty well defined. 

 Most interesting it is to notice, that, as a general rule, colors in na- 

 ture are associated on the very principles which artists have pointed 

 out as necessary, in order that an effect pleasing to the human eye 

 may be produced. There are harmonies of color as truly as of musical 

 sounds ; and in the aspect of creation ungrateful discords never 

 appear. Professor Dickie believes that he has established certain 

 conclusions regarding the relation of form and color in the flower, of 



