Ori Crystallography, S65 



which I have added to the nomenclature of mineralogy. 

 Different motives suggested their formation ; and there were 

 two circumstances in particular, in which it was mdispen- 

 sahle to compose new names : viz. when a species hitherto 

 unknown was the subject of dericripiion, and when several 

 different species had been confounded. In the latter case I 

 generally left to one of the species the name which they 

 nad borne in common, and I designated the rest by parti- 

 cular denominations. 



1 was almost confined to these changes ff-om absolute 

 necessity, in the extract which formerly appeared of this 

 treatise; and besides, I har^ allowed all the names already 

 printed, to remain, however improper they might be. But, 

 since, it has been observed to me that it would be proper to 

 reform in the same manner several names which I had 

 omitted, such as Imcite and leucolite, one of which signifies 

 a white hody, and the other a 'white stone, smaragdi'te, 

 which is nearly synonymous with enter aid, oisanite, andreo- 

 lite, thallitej and some others borrowed from the localities 

 or from the colours. These names were found vicious in a 

 twofold degree, either from their impropriety when con- 

 sidered in an isolated point of view, or from the monotony 

 of their terminations when they happen to resemble each 

 other closely. Besides all this, they were very few in num- 

 ber, and are only found in very modern works. In a word, it 

 was ihouiiht that the interests of science, which had deter- 

 mined the first changes, would also suggest those which 

 were proposed to me. I hesitated no longer from the 

 moment I found myself supported by men of science whose 

 reasons seemed to me to be decisive, and whose authorities 

 alone have the weight of reasons; and I am the more 

 anxious ihus publicly to declare the motives which actuated 

 me, because it would give me pain to be accused of allow- 

 ing myself to be led away by neologism. 1 certainly think 

 there is a great difference in every respect between niaking 

 new names and advancing new theories. The one is the 

 result of a mere technical labour, which interferes with 

 the dictionary of science only ; the other presupposes views 

 which lend to aggrandize the edifice. A truth newly made 

 known is instantly adopted, because it insinuates itself into 

 the mind by means of persuasion. But the novelty alone 

 of words which reach the ear for the tirst time, throws a 

 shade of disapprobation over them : he who proposes 

 them seems to assume an authoritative air ; they are re- 

 jected without reflection and without examination, or they 

 arc censured perhaps^ while at the same moment all are 



agreed 



