Miscellaneous Papers. 257 



"professor of petrology," "professor of economic geology," 

 "professor of pre-Cambrian geology," "professor of paleontolog- 

 ical geology," and "professor of archeologic geology," but not a 

 single professor of mineralogy. 



Some time ago when in Chicago, the writer visited that great 

 institution, which already has cost many millions of dollars, and in- 

 quired for their mineral collection, and was informed that they did 

 not have any. It was suggested that such an institution should 

 have a good collection of minerals to assist in their educational 

 work. They gave as the reason for not having any minerals that 

 they did not have money to spend for them, although they were 

 about to invest a good many thousands of dollars for some bones 

 of gigantic fossil animals of the Carboniferous period which had 

 been discovered in Utah. 



I felt a good deal like saying that we were not living in the 

 Carboniferous age now, and that something pertaining to the 

 present day and its practical work might prove a great deal more 

 useful. 



Mineralogy is preeminently a practical science. It is in direct 

 contact and intimately associated with the activities of to-day. It 

 holds in its wide domain more of interest to the future of humanity 

 than any other branch of natural science. 



Microscopic mineralogy is a very pleasing and attractive branch 

 of the study. Nature has, in a measure, concealed many of the 

 most exquisite beauties of her work in such minute forms that it 

 requires the most powerful microscope to develop their beauties. 

 One great advantage of this branch of the study is in the small 

 space required for a collection. Many have been deterred from 

 collecting minerals because the material is so bulky, and requires a 

 great deal of space to exhibit it to advantage. This objection is 

 done away with in microscopic mineralogy. The writer has a friend 

 and correspondent in Philadelphia, a gentleman of wealth and ex- 

 cellent taste, who devotes his whole attention to microscopic work. 

 It is a great pleasure to look over his collection, which pretty well 

 covers the field of amateur mineralogical study. It was contained 

 in a few small cabinets, or boxes of drawers, each about one foot 

 square, which could be picked up like a satchel and carried about 

 anywhere. He had a small room which he called his "den," about 

 twelve feet square, a round table about three feet in diameter, the 

 top of which revolved freely. We sat on one side of this table, 

 with my friend opposite. He would take out one of his mounted 

 specimens, which did not occupy more than a square inch of space, 

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