134 
SYSTEM OF NATURE. 
what I have called a subnormal and abnormal portion. Now, 
if from the six groups previously enumerated as comprising 
a general system, we seek to select one eminently superior 
to the rest, our choice must fall upon animals: of this I 
can entertain no shadow of doubt. But no sooner have 
we arrived at this conclusion—no sooner have we placed 
animals in the centre, than we find vegetables—the next 
group in importance—reduced to an isolated position on 
the circumference. I say isolated , because it were incon¬ 
sistent with analogy to suppose the vegetable kingdom 
double, after treating the animal as single. Moreover, if 
we test the integrity of vegetables as a group, by a com¬ 
parison with animals, on the principle of parallels, we 
find that it would be impossible to treat them otherwise 
than as a single group. The subject of parallels between 
animals and vegetables has been fully discussed by writers 
of high authority; and unqualified as I feel myself to offer 
an opinion on the subject, I yet venture to subjoin the 
parallels which have been admitted as existing in Nature. 
Vertebrata 
Articulata 
Radiata 
Mollusca 
Dicotyledons 
Monocotyledons 
Fungi, Algae, Hepaticae 
Filices, Equiseta, Musci. 
The existence of these parallels, considered as an ab¬ 
stract fact, by no means militates against the central posi¬ 
tion of animals : we have already seen the placental and 
marsupial vertebrates presenting similar parallels, although 
the former of these is central and the latter external; but 
then the birds form a twin group to the marsupials, uniting 
with them by gradations almost imperceptible. Now as 
there is no third group of material organized beings, the 
