HISTORY OF ZOOPHYTOLOG Y. 
11 
result of the observations of above thirty years, but we find in it 
no facts in support of his theory additional to those already men- 
tioned, for the greater portion of it is occupied with many de- 
tails on the medical uses and other applications of coral which 
have no relation to the question at issue. It seems at first to 
have excited considerable attention among the members of the 
Royal Society, but Peyssonnel’s endeavours were doomed ever 
to be unfortunate, for whatever favour his theory was likely to 
receive here was nipt in the bud by the opposition of Dr Par- 
sons, a naturalist of considerable eminence, and an active mem- 
ber of the society. The analysis of Peyssonnel’s treatise was 
read in May 1752, and in June of the same year, Dr Parsons 
read his answer,* which savours much of the supercilious dog- 
matism of a sceptical philosophy. He does not pretend that he 
had tested the doctrine of Peyssonnel by any experiments or 
observations, nor does he question his veracity, but he chose to 
consider the animals observed by Peyssonnel in the coral and 
madrepores as merely accidental settlers which had nothing to do 
with their growth,- — occupants of mansions prepared for them by 
more active entities, — there being no tc seeming power, propor- 
tion, and stability’’ in the polypes to render them capable of per- 
forming such works as they were thought to have done. u And 
indeed it would seem to me,” says the learned doctor, 66 much 
more difficult to conceive, that so fine an arrangement of parts, 
such masses as these bodies consist of, and such regular ramifi- 
cations in some, and such well-contrived organs to serve for ve- 
getation in others, should be the operations of little, poor, help- 
less, jelly-like animals, rather than the work of more sure vege- 
tation, which carries on the growth of the tallest and largest 
trees with the same natural ease and influence, as the minutest 
plant.” 
The mineral theory also found at this period its latest advo- 
cate. Henry Baker, during his numerous microscopical enqui- 
ries, had become familiar with the beautiful and regular 44 ve- 
getations” which many salts and earths assume in their crystal- 
* A Letter from James Parsons, M. D. F. R. S. to the Rev. Mr Birch, Seer. 
R. S. concerning the Formation of Corals, Corallines, & c. For an account of 
Dr Parson’s writings see Hall. Bib. Bot. ii. 340 ; and there is a short biogra- 
phical notice of him in Phil. Trans, abridg. viii. 692. 
