10 INTRODUCTION TO 



This is not only in the arrangement of the different species of 

 common matter, but also in the arrangements of the same species of 

 matter, which constitute the classing of vegetable and animal matter. 

 Therefore, almost every subject appears to be composed of parts of a 

 great variety of other subjects ; and, as each part of which it is com- 

 posed not only belongs to one but to a great variety of other subjects, 

 every part of any subject becomes classible with those various subjects 

 to which it belongs. This might be illustrated by anything in Nature. 

 Every property in man is similar to some property, either in another 

 animal, or probably in a vegetable, or even in inanimate matter. 

 Thereby [man] becomes classible with those in some of his parts. But 

 if one whole was in possession of a single part of every other, then it 

 would be impossible to class it. But there is no whole but possesses 

 several properties that are peculiar to some others ; by which means 

 wholes ca^L be classed with each other. Thus the four- stomached 

 animals have somewhat similar teeth and cloven feet. But as these 

 [resemblances] spin out ad infinitum, the subject of classing, instead 

 of bringing things together that have a connexion, for the easement of 

 the mind, would complicate [the matter] so much as in the end to be 

 unintelligible. Therefore, in classing of things, it is only the great 

 distinguishing parts that should be arranged. Mankind are classible 

 into sizes, but it would be very absurd to be very nice iu this class. 



Nature, in her first formation of bodies, seems to have been particularly 

 careful of forms, establishing a principle of formation in every distinct 

 class of beings, whether Mineral, Vegetable or Animal 1 ; which principle 

 becomes their future guide from which every mechanical property arises. 

 In common matter we have the different crystallizations, which seems 

 to be the most simple [principle of form] of any ; as it arises entirely 

 from the nature of the matter of which they [the crystals] are com- 

 posed ; [as, e. g.~\ simply earth, each earth producing a crystal of its own 

 kind ; or, if compounded, then a crystal according to the compound. 

 But, in vegetables and animals the principles of formation do not ap- 

 pear to arise from the same cause ; although it might with more pro- 

 priety be supposed [to be so] in the vegetable than the animal ; 

 and therefore the different classes of vegetable might be supposed to 



pressed ; as well as its application to classification, which Cuvier enumerated in the 

 following axiom : " Deux especes quelconques d'etres organises ont necessairement 

 quelques points d' organisation par lesquels elles se ressemblent. Ces points d' orga- 

 nisation sont ce qu'on nomme leurs rapports naturels. Plus ils sont nombreux, plus 

 ces rapports sont grands. — Tableau Elementaire del' Histoire Naturelle desAniniaux, 

 p. 15, 8vo, 1798 (An. 6).] 



1 [The principle of ' morphology ' of modem naturalists.] 



