[ 6z ] 



oe confounded with common limeflone^. The ftone which 

 the Germans without any inconvenience called apjtite, ap- 

 proaching in our language too nearly the word appJ-te, I have 

 called pholphor'tte to mark its compofition ; but as the phof- 

 plioric acid has alfo been deteiled or at leaft fufpeifted in com- 

 pofition with argil, to diftinguifh this compound from the 

 former I call it phofpholite, a name better fuited to it than that 

 of valentia garnet, by which it was formerly denoted, a change 

 attended with no inconvenience, as the flone itfelf was known 

 in no part of Europe but Spain. To thefe denominations they 

 objedl their niononotous termi.iations ; but thefe terminations are 

 befl: fuited to our language ; they do not recoUedl that the termi- 

 nations in at, as jtitrats, fulphats^ muriats, carbonats, phofphats, 

 oxolats, &c. &c. are equally monotonous in theirs. They think, 

 or rather magifterially decide, that minerals fliould be denoted 

 by the fame name, as fimilar chymical compounds ; a rule that 

 might be admitted if fuch minerals were not previoufly gene- 

 rally known by other fingle appellations, and if their compo- 

 fition was perfedly fimilar to analogous chymical compounds. 

 But in the firfl place feveral minerals are already generally 

 known by peculiar proper denominations, for inftance, cinnabar, 

 furely a more convenient name than the drawling new name 

 fulphurated red oxide of 7nercury, and in the next place they fhould 

 confider that chymical compounds being artificial produ(5lions 



may 



