ITS DEFINITION. 103 
Whatever belongs to the history of an animal or a 
pliant, is comprehended under one or other of these 
heads of enquiry. The definition, however, is not 
so applicable to mineralogy, inasmuch as inanimate 
objects cannot be said to possess either habits or 
economy. If, however, we substitute for these pro- 
perties the growth or production of minerals, gene- 
rally so called, the above exposition will be applicable 
to all the three kingdoms of nature. 
(53.) Now, in estimating the measure of labour 
or of talents necessary to the successful prosecution 
of these several objects, we perceive that they are 
suited to different degrees of intellect; and, conse- 
quently, that there are departments which can be 
prosecuted, with advantage to the whole, by men of 
moderate ability and limited information. So wide, 
indeed, is the scope which this science embraces, so 
multifarious are the points of information to be 
elicited, and so easily may many of these points, 
under peculiar circumstances, be elucidated, that 
there is room for the beneficial labours of the 
youngest student, no less than of the most matured 
and philosophic mind. The successful prosecution 
of natural history, like that of all other demon- 
strative sciences, depends upon facts; and when 
we consider the number of the data necessary to 
complete the history of an individual species, and 
ihen reflect on the hundreds of thousands of species 
which exist upon the earth, we shall immediately 
perceive that every attentive observer has the power 
of contributing something towards his favourite 
science; somcthing which has been yet unob- 
H 4 
