the inclinations which they manifest when upon the plant of which they formed a portion, subjects them to an experiment whose results leave him no doubt of the fact. "He places wet sponges under the leaves, and he sees the leaves turn towards the sponges and endeavour to adhere to them by their lower surfaces. He also observes that certain plants, which he has shut up in his cabinet and in a cellar, have turned towards the window, or the grating respectively. "Finally, the phenomena of the Sensitive Plant, its varied movements, the promptitude with which it contracts when touched, form the interesting subject which terminates his researches. "Thus plentifully supplied with facts which all seem to tend to the support of belief in the sensibility of plants, which side will our philosopher take? Will he surrender to these proofs? Will he suspend his judgment? I think he will take the first part."[16] Charles Bonnet believes, in short, that the plant, as well as the animal, is endowed with sensibility. According to the system which we have developed, the animal is possessed of a soul, which is still very imperfect, and endowed only with faculties corresponding to its needs. But, since the animal, in addition to the sensibility enjoyed by the plant, possesses intelligence also, we must conclude from thence that the plant has not a soul, properly so called, but only the rudiment, the commencement, in other words, the _germ_ of a soul. We know that the sun has the privilege of giving birth to organic life upon our globe, his rays have power to produce the formation of living tissues, plants or zoophytes, when they fall upon the earth or the waters, and we may draw this conclusion from all that has gone before, that the sun sends down upon the earth _animated germs_ under the form of his rays, which emanate from the spiritualized creatures who dwell in the king-star.