Chapter XVIII. 
Proofs of Design in the Structure of Fossil 
Vegetables. 
SECTION I. 
GENERAL HISTORY OF FOSSIL VEGETABLES. 
The history of Fossil Vegetables has a twofold 
claim upon our consideration, in relation to the 
object of our present enquiry. The first regards 
the influence exerted on the actual condition ot 
Mankind, by the fossil carbonaceous remains of 
Plants, which clothed the former surface of the 
Earth, and has been briefly considered in a 
former chapter ; (Chap. VII. P. 63.) the second 
directs our attention to the history and structure 
of the ancient members of the vegetable king 
dom. 
It appears that nearly at the same points 
the progress of stratification, where the inos^ 
striking changes take place in the remains o* 
Animal life, there are found also concurrent 
changes in the character of fossil Vegetables. 
A large and new field of investigation is thu*’ 
laid open to our enquiry, wherein we may coin' 
pare the laws which regulated the varying syS' 
